Paradise Lost
by IronDRedWolf
Summary: "You are a gun and this is what kept you alive so far. But now? Now that you've misfired? They'll kill you for it." Percy Jackson stands alone in this mystery tale taking place in NY. If this summary hasn't sparked your interest then i hope the story will. Good reading!
1. Chapter 1

**DISCALIMER: I DON'T OWN PJ AND THE OLYMPIANS OR THE HEROES OF OLYMPUS SERIES.**

**AUTOR'S NOTE: I haven't attempted to write a story for quite some time as my other project failed.**

**I thought at trying my luck on a singular , action oriented story . So here it is. My new story:**

**Paradise Lost**

_**Part I Of Things To Come**_

A man and his axe stand in front of me. The light reflects off the bloody blade.

I try to move and I realize I am tied to a chair, rope and wires coiling around me.

"Hey!" I try to get his attention.

"Hey! Where am I?"

Turning his head, the stranger says nothing. A grin appears on his face as he raises his weapon with both hands the blade screaming for my life.

"Crap! Wait, damn, wait. I don't know what you want. "

"Clueless. Just as I heard." The kidnapper said with a chuckle without lowering the axe.

There _**is**_ a putrid smell in the air. Panic finally sets in and my breathing gets heavier.

Anybody else would be wetting their pants.

Not me. I was trained for this. I take a breath and the world slows down, panic evaporating, giving me enough time to check my surroundings and chances of escape.

Dark room , a ray of light comes from under the door. The door is an old metal thing with the hinges rusted and multiple locks decorating it.

The only others source of light is the window from behind the man . Through it I can see the moon. I can also see a billboard sign on level with the window.

It must be 50-60 feet high. I don't know if I'll survive the fall without breaking my legs.

I'll need to be in good shape to make it out of here.

Don't know how long I been here. It could be days. The last thing I remember is training at the motel.

He or they, there might be more of them , must have snatched me from there.

But that's impossible. I'm the only one who can cross the barrier.

"Figured it out yet?"

"What? " I responded.

At that he seemed to get offended , his face darkening whatever traits I could see.

"Why you're not dead yet?"responded the axe wielding man , voice starting to get harsh, his eyes narrowing at me creating an tense atmosphere.

"I-I don't know." I said truthfully.

"It's because I'm tired of watching you stumble around in the darkness. It's because I saw you fight and fight again for things that should not have concerned you. It's because you are the most clueless person I have ever seen." Anger was knotted in his every word probably meant to make me believe him.

"That's not your problem. And even it was I don't see it as a good reason to kidnap me."

Lowering the axe and resting the blade on the floor he gaze at me, strange look in his eyes.

"I have a good reason for acting the way I do. I'm delivering a warning."

" A warning ?" I asked.

"Yes. All your life , what have you done?" he questioned of me pacing around the cramped room.

" I saved the world. Why? What did you do."

"Really ? Since when is North America the world ?"

"You know what I mean."  
"I don't get it. I don't get you. Are you insane?"

"Great fucking question from the man with the axe smeared with blood." I said at him smugly.

"I had… trouble getting you here. Anyway it seems I have to spell it out for you."

"Whatever gets me out of here faster." I let him tell his cartoon villain plan as I try to get out of my ropes.

"All your life you have been used. By the moment you were recognized as Poseidon's son your fate was sealed. You took the value of a weapon , of a gun. A gun the gods could just feed bullshit prophecy's , point and pull the trigger. And it was fine for you. Won the war, got the girl , hailed as the hero of heroes. Great life right?"

That got my attention , it also got me trying to break free. He can't know those things if he's just some mortal serial killer.

" Well damn wrong from my perspective, boy. You didn't even know you were used." At that he let out a chuckle.

At his words anger filled my head begging to do something preferably bad to this guy. So I responded:  
" Look , I don't know what the gods did to you. But this is one stupid attempt at turning me against them."

"Turning you? Aren't you all ready turned? Man you are brainwashed. After everything that happened to you, you're the same naïve hero you were at the beginning."

" Naïve huh. At least I'm not some fucking asshole too afraid to face me , resorting to tying me to a chair then babbling like a moron for an hour."

" First , it was more like 10 minutes. Don't exaggerate. Second , I'm trying to save your life so spare me the cynical attitude. Okay?"

" Suck my-"

"You are a gun and this is what kept you alive so far. But now? Now you've misfired and everything is about to fall on your head. You know too much even if you do not realize it.

Think about it, kid. You're the only one who survived Tartarus. Who knows what secrets you have in there" he said flicking my forehead.

"I can't remember anything about …. That place." I replied furrowing my brow.

"Can't or won't? But they don't care about that. They'll kill you either way."

"Why would they kill me. I'll give them what they want. Anyway, my father won't just stand and watch me die."

" Oh yes he will. If the council votes it, he will watch you die and not lift a finger.

You are too…. volatile. Too unreliable."

"Why?"  
" I just explained it to you" the man said exasperated.

"NO. WHY? Why are you helping me?"I yelled In his face trying to get up only to crash back into the chair that was at this point barely containing me.

" Because I seem to be the only one who gives a crap about your life." He snapped at me.

"And that includes you. What? No smart reply ? No cursing?"

"…"

" You idiot. I'm gonna send you out like this and you're going to sit on your ass, waiting for the end. Aren't you?"he asked of me.

" Pretty much. Yeah."  
"But. I know there's one thing you still care about."

"What's that?" I said disinterested.

"Revenge."

" Okay. You're obviously psychotic so if you could just let me go that would be great."

" I can get you the name of the ones who killed them." The man spoke to me lowering himself so that he was on eye level with me.

" If I were you I would stop lying before the nice man in the chair loses all patience and chops your head off."

" No lie. Unless of course you want to let your mother's memory fade with all the other deaths that you have caused along with your step father's and baby sister."

"Tell me. Now!"

" Cool down. I can help you get the names. I don't actually know them" the axe wielder talked while he stood up and gripped the handle of the axe while turning it so that the blade was facing him, and the blunt me.

"Fine. Help me."I responded.

" Oh, I will. Brace yourself. " were the last words I heard from him as the blunt side of the axe's head struck me in the temple causing me to pass out.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCALIMER: I DON'T OWN PERCY JACKSON.**

**First of all thanks for the review BlackPigeon. It's the first review in which I'm not being cursed and I appreciate it.**

**Second. This chapter is kinda short and I wrote it in the course of two hours so cut me some slack.**

**As always I appreciate reviews be them good of bad. I'd actually like some bad reviews if only for the criticism. I need to better myself.**

**Part II: Realization**

_I was standing in Arachne's lair again. _

_A string was attached to Annabeth's ankle._

_Once again I threw myself at it while it started to pull my girlfriend into the pit._

_I cut it with the sword just in time but it latched onto my arm, jerking it and making Riptide fall in the abyss._

_Grabbing, clawing at the ground I was slowly being pulled towards Tartarus._

_At the last moment Annabeth gripped my hand._

"_You are not going anywhere." She said tears flowing from her eyes , desperation in her voice all the while the string was tearing me apart._

"_Please let go." I responded._

"_Someone. Help!" she yelled turning her head sideways._

_The string pulled me further and Annabeth was standing on the edge herself, her had tight around mine._

" _Gods please! Mother help me!"she screamed at nobody._

_At the last moment I dug my nails into the back of her hand._

_She barely seemed to notice._

_I began thrashing trying to get rid of her grip._

"_I'm going to fall now." I said to her, my eyes made of cold steel._

"_Percy please don't do this , I can't live without you."_

_Her hand was tiring and sweaty and I finally pulled away from her._

_She was holding onto my fingers as she said " I love you."_

_I slipped from her and after that….only darkness._

I woke up as someone was going through my pockets.

"Hey get off me." I said pushing the person away.

Trying to get up I found my head swirling .

I took my hand to my head and my fingers came away bloody.

Looking at the robber I found a woman, in ripped jeans and muddy shirt , haunted look in her eyes. Face like a snake's , gaunt and leathery.

She was obviously homeless or addicted to drugs.

In her hand she held a pen.

My pen, my sword.

What she would see if she took the cap off I didn't know or planed to know.

I was startled from my thoughts by a buzzing in my back pocket.

Digging my hand in my pocket I pulled out a cellphone.

Cellphones are a death sentence to demigods , functioning like a beacon to monsters.

On the phone's screen flashed the note : _New message_.

I pushed open and In the message :

_HINT :_

_CALL LOG… _

Quickly searching through the phone I opened the call log.

A call was made from this phone at 23:12.

It was now 23:17.

Shit!

I pulled the pen out of the woman's hand while she started cursing me.

However her cursing stopped abruptly once a giant hand closed around her torso and slammed her into the pavement.

I pulled the cap off and the pen transformed into a 3 foot long celestial bronze sword.

Before I could attack, a giant appeared from the darkness, opening his mouth he bit down on the woman's upper body , in his hand only the legs remained.

Howling in fury I launched myself at the monster.

Seeing me coming he chomped down the rest of his food and threw a severely oversized punch at me.

Ducking and rolling I arrived right in front of him. With one knee planted in the concrete I pushed Riptide into his belly.

Mad rage showed in his eyes and his hand struck me, throwing me into the street , sword falling from my grasp.

Getting up I saw the 15-foot giant charging at me.

Before I could take a step towards my fallen sword I heard the sound of a horn and tires screeching.

BANG!

The whole world rolled around as a sharp pain developed in my back.

I flew into the air, and as suddenly as it all started it ended.

I fell on the asphalt with a crack.

Yelling I started to pick myself up.

A man got out of the dented car and stood near his opened door, staring wildly at me.

" Oh, God!" he started yammering as I approached him.

With a grunt I pushed him out of the way and got into the car.

BOOM!

The whole car got jerked around.

I looked out the window to see the giant sprawled onto the ground holding his gut with one hand, golden blood flowing through his fingers. I guess he took the impact worse than the vehicle.

Starting the car, I pressed the acceleration to the floor , leaving a stunned mortal behind in the fumes.

Turning the car , I saw the giant steadying himself with his free hand.

A blur covered my vision and I could feel myself slipping into unconsciousness.

The giant had a surprised look on his face as I slammed the car into his head at maximum speed, turning him to dust.

Darkness nibbling at the corner of my eyes I rested my head on the steering wheel , the sound of sirens very far away.

A sound stirred me from my sleep.

"_Percy?"_

"_Get up. You're going to be late for school. Come on honey, even Holly's up and she's not even one yet."_

My breath came out ragged, heavy.

"_Percy?"_

As I opened my eyelids I saw a vision fading away.

My mother standing in our house, with Paul and Holly.

Cringing I opened the car door and I stepped into the street.

I looked around to see the extent of the damage.

The car was totaled, slammed into a stop sign.

"I'm sorry about your car ." I said to the man.

"I-I…"

I probably saved his life. With that monster around he would have been killed for sure.

Patting my pocket I discovered that Riptide returned to me.

Light flashed on the concrete.

The cellphone was ringing.

I ran to it almost falling to my knees in front of it.

Picking it up I read the new message.

YOU PASSED  
**112 W 34TH ST**

This was all a test. A life was lost and this was all some damn test!

I didn't have time to think about what needed to be done because a cop car had just passed the corner.

"Crap." I said and stared stumbling away, holding my side.

As I came close to the man I clicked my fingers as I told him.

"Someone stole your car and crashed it, remember?"  
"Oh , yeah. Where is he? The police is here."

" He ran that way."I said pointing the opposite direction I was going to walk.

"Right. Thank you kid."

The mist had its perks.

I sighed and slipped away as the man was being approached by a police officer.

_**It**_ took me longer to reach what I call home these days, but I wasn't followed.

The phone I turned off after I reread the message and tried to call the number who sent it.

I was unsuccessful .

A ragged breath escaped me as the last of the adrenaline faded away from my system and the full extent of my fight caught up with me.

I had pain going from the back of my head to my legs. As far as I could tell I had at least two ribs broken and maybe a concussion. My legs didn't fare much better, barely being able to walk.

Stepping into the small stream that flowed through a dirty, dark , dirty alley and feeling a coldness wash over me I realized I arrived home.

Home was an old dusty motel with a half collapsed neon sign and broken windows.

Class Motel.

Yeah right, class.

Still, it fit my purposes and It had a barrier that kept unwanted visitors away, and by unwanted I mean mortals.

The occasional monster still finds me but not as much as if I'm in the open.

I guess demigods could find me but I doubt anyone is looking for me.

Anyway, they wouldn't be searching into and old rundown motel.

The barrier was put there by a mercenary company who had used the building as an operation center.

They left in quite a hurry because I found all kinds of equipment and weapons left over.

There were two things I had : time and a lot of weapons.

I set up a training yard in the back of the motel and train I did.

I tried archery but I quickly gave up as I ended up with more holes than the target.

Rifles and long range guns the same, and I didn't want to end up shot in the leg or worse.

Small guns I could handle.

I had a pistol I usually used.

An old timey revolver filled with celestial bronze bullets. I could shoot pretty good at close range.

When the axe man grabbed me I was training with Riptide so I wasn't equipped with my usual gear. How he managed to sneak up on me was anyone's guess.

He was probably a demigod or had some godly blood in him , that's what I figure anyway because he passed the barrier.

As I stepped through the front door a skull insignia appeared on the lobby floor.

The symbol was formed of a grinning skull with flames coming out of his eyes.

I stepped over it, heading to my med room.

My med room was a normal room filled with a large sea water basin and whatever antibiotics and medicine I could scrounge up.

Stripping down I let myself be swallowed by the cool salt water.

I thought that I made a good decision by bringing the basin in the motel.

As I sat there , my wounds healing, my mind kept returning to my fight with the giant.

The poor woman being ripped in half. And the axe wielder texting me YOU PASSED.

A test had caused that woman's demise. Who knows what's next.

Will I find the one who killed my family at the address in the message or a new challenge to claim the life of a few more bystanders.

I was lucky, really lucky to have survived that fight.

Someone had to pay for that woman's death.

And someone will.

I would see to that.

**And that's all folks. Hope you enjoyed it.**

**And if not, then that's too bad because I worked kind of hard to post this so quickly.**

**And it's 2 in the morning.**

**I hope I haven't sacrificed any quality though.**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN PJ.**

**Paradise Lost **

**PART III : ESCAPE VEHICLE NO 6**

For the last few days I have been taking it slow, I put the address out of mind and I focused on healing myself. I haven't left the motel since that night.

Questions roared in my mind. Questions I had since this whole thing started. Will it all be worth it?

Will I find myself some broken husk , made entirely of hate and bitterness , after all is said and done?

What would my family think , seeing me like this. Nineteen years old , living in a hellhole with no friends , no life prospects , and the only bright thing on the horizon being the murder of a person who might or might not be real. I can't know if this is all a game.

I was stupid by playing along by the axe man's rules. Barely made it out. So many things could have gone wrong. And because of me a woman is dead. A junkie and a thief just like so many others. What made her special? The fact that she died because of me? She probably would have overdosed anyway.

Here I am , trying to justify death. I don't know who she was, what she had done. Me a murderer and a traitor to his family I have the nerve to judge another person. The thought makes me want to drown in alcohol.

I decided I was well enough to leave my save house or safe motel. In case something happened , I was ready. I wore a bulletproof vest underneath my jacket and shirt , and I had my wooden grip revolver with me tucked in my jacket.

Feeling hungry I entered an old diner. Stepping inside I felt like I was transported back in time to the 50's. It was an nice clean place with predominant red colors and the waitress wore one of those pink outfits so popular in diners like this one.

Sitting in one of the chairs I ordered a burger. As the waitress went away with my order I noticed an older man sitting next to me.  
Smiling softly he said : " I love the feel of this places. Takes me back to when I was your age."

"I guess." I responded.

"You need help, son?" he said kindly.

"No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I can always tell a soldier when I see one." He replied patting my back.

"I'm not…. I mean I'm-"

" You have the thousand-yard stare. And you have a gun in your jacket. So my guess is your either a soldier or you're going to rob this place. "

" I'm a … soldier. "

" Hey don't worry about me. This old man can keep a secret." He said and nudging me with his elbow.

" So , where did you serve? Iraq? Afghanistan?" the old man queried me.

" Iraq." I said taking a guess. I wasn't really up to speed with current events so I hoped he would buy it.

The older man pointed a chubby thumb at himself and he said : " Vietnam. I was a medic."

A blur appeared in my eyes and I started to rub them nervously while the old man chatted away ,telling war stories.

"Son, I knew a lot of people like you. You just have to accept help and you will get through this." he said once he saw me starting to sweat and move my eyes wildly around.

I knew then that If let him help me , I could be saved. This dark road ahead of me would crumble and I could turn back. I saw myself throwing my weapons away , getting a job, going to college. Meeting a nice girl and having a life with her. Buying a house, having kids.

But… I also saw my wife standing on the porch of our blue painted house , her hair blonde and her eyes grey, looking at me along with two children. A black haired boy and a blonde girl, the spitting image of her mother, smiling sweetly at me.

As I approached them a fire enveloped the entire house.

My wife looked at me, unmoving , uncaring , the fire eating at her. And as I looked at her , she pointed a charred finger at me , and she started to scream.

I jerked up, knocking the chair to the ground . It got harder and harder to breathe.

Without a second though I ran out of the diner, attracting the looks of their clients.

Stumbling through the streets I saw red in front of my eyes. Red eyes in the skull of the mortals watching me. A blood rain started falling from the heavens, staining everything and everyone.

They were all bleeding. Dying , screaming, blood gushing out of their mouths.

I hurried towards the motel , trying to ignore everything around me.

When I felt the stream washing my shoes I collapsed. Dark images continued to flow through my mind, not going away , no matter how much I wished it. All the people I murdered smiling at me like everything was okay, like I wasn't a monster , like they weren't ashes now because of me. I pulled the revolver out of my jacket pointing it at invisible monsters.

BOOM!

A shot through the creature's eye. It didn't work.

BOOM!

One through the heart. It didn't work.

BOOM!

Passed through his legs. IT DIDN'T WORK!

BOOM!

Missed .

BOOM!BOOM!

Missed, and missed again. Oh gods!

Click!

Click!

A chocking sound came from my chest, and after a second , a booming laugh could be heard through the abandoned alley.

I stood there in that dark alley , letting the dirty water drown me, pull me away.

I finally took a hold of myself as the light of the day coursed through me , allowing the dark images to crawl to the back of my mind.

Shaking, I picked myself up. I had to finish everything quickly. I was getting worse and I feared that soon I would be a laughing, drooling mess. Not needing to change my clothes from my night in the water( being the son of Poseidon) I took a cab to the Grand Central Station.

The cab pulled out on 42nd street, and after I paid my fare I got out.

Walking to the front of the building I admired the statue of Hermes at the top.

"Hermes: the college years." I joked to myself.

" You know , that's offensive. I'm still just as young." A voice suddenly was heard from behind me.

I turned to see the smiling face of the messenger of the gods." Hello cousin. How have you been keeping yourself?"

He was dressed as an UPS guy. His caduceus was turned into a pen, stored into his chest pocket, with George and Martha swirling around it.

_Hello Percy._

_It's good to see you dear._

_Do you have a mouse or even a rat?_

_Leave the boy alone George._

"Hello George, hello Martha."I said loosening up at the sight of the two snake's antics.

The street was crowded even though it was early morning. Hermes took the side of the building.

He stared at me strangely " I heard about you fight with the laistrygonian giant. He was one big bastard , huh? You okay?"

" Yeah I'm ….recovering." I said scratching the back of my head.

" Glad to see you're In one piece. So, what can I do for you?"

" I need information about someone."

" Well you came to the right person erhh god. Stealing information is always a hoot." The god said pulling out a tablet and starting to write something on it.

"It's not going to be that easy. You might not find him in the city archive or the internet."

" Oh?"

" He's definitely a demigod, or maybe some minor god or godling. I know that much."

" Name?"

" Don't know."

"Well what do you know about him?" Hermes said sighing.

Trying to remember I searched my memory. " He's around 6 feet tall, brown eyes , maybe dark hair."

"That narrows it down to millions."

" Oh, and he wields an axe. Looks like the ones firemen use except it was silver and the handle had strange carvings in it."

" What else?" the trickster continued, looking thoughtful.

" He talked in metaphors."

The god's eyes widened, as he furiously scribbled on his tablet making the snakes complain.

_Ow, ow, slow down Hermes._

Turning to me the son of Zeus frowned. "Percy, what did you do?"

Before I could respond a thunder was heard from the clear sky.

"Never mind . "Hermes continued. " You should have went to Athena with this. Even though I stole this information from her." He said smirking a little.

"The next time you see this guy, run. I might be mistaken but there aren't a lot of Ax carrying psychos around. He did talk about mythical stuff didn't he?"

"Of course he did , or I wouldn't have come to you for help."

Looking at the sky with a pained expression Hermes explained."All I know Is that this guy is a vengeful spirit and he appears right before a huge massacre is about to happen."

The sky rumbled again and the god started to glow a little bit.

" I gotta go, don't want old daddy to know I have been talking to you." He said rising in the air.

"Wait!" I yelled after him. "How do I kill him?"

" I don't know." Was the last thing he said as he flew in the air.

Squinting I swore I could see a helicopter taking his place at a higher altitude.

I wished I never got up from that stream. Dealing with a mortal, that was fine by me but spirits? Massacre?

Immortals? Taking on them was like fighting the wind. Still, I was never one to give up.

I'll do what is needed, no matter what happens to me.

After that, I started at the address from the message. I didn't risk bringing the cell phone with me. I walked down the street and I waited around for 5 minutes , starting to regret not bringing the phone, thinking that perhaps it was a piece of the puzzle when I heard a ring.

Turning around I saw a pay-phone behind me. Nervously I answered.

"Hello?"

" Hey, you made it!" the voice of the ax carrier answered.

"It's you."  
"Yeah, what about it?"  
"You knew all along. And you made me fight that giant for nothing."

" Not for nothing. It was a test. And it wasn't me who tested you."

" Who then?"

" Don't know."

" How could you not know? You set this up, right?"

" You and I have met, and you don't know me. Don't judge so fast."

"Yeah…. Just, just give me the name."

" I was told it's under the payphone. Good luck!"

" Don't hang up yet."

"Why?"

"A woman died because of you. You better pray to whomever you worship that I don't find you because if I do then I am going to eviscerate you. Do we understand each other?"

" You've just killed yourself." He said hanging up.

Crouching I patted the bottom of the payphone and underneath I found a taped envelope.

Opening it , inside I found a piece of black piece of paper.

On it scribbled were two names:

Alabaster C. Torrington.

Dr. Howard Claymore.

**Done!**

**Thanks for all the reviews, it's always exciting to read them.**

**Retrobution I took your advice, and I hope you like this chapter.**

**Percy is really losing it huh?**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCALIMER: I DON'T OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIAN SERIES.**

_**Paradise Lost  
**_**PART IV Found**

For the better part of a month I searched for Alabaster and Doc. Claymore. The name Alabaster Torrington sounded familiar but I couldn't put a face to it. As for Claymore, I first thought he was an MD or a shrink or something, so for the first few weeks I was stumped until I decided to risk looking for him online.

I set myself a 10 minute limit and I searched for him in the computers in the library. Turns out he was a respected author and the Dr. in front of his name came from his PhD.

He wrote a bunch of books about the afterlife, and from what I read he sounded like an atheist.

He also was reported to have died in a fire in some little country town while on vacation. Strangely I couldn't find the name of the town.

Alabaster Torrington had no trace, no records, he was a ghost.

What do a doctor and a person no one has ever heard of have in common? Why would they supposedly, kill my family? I say supposedly because it all sounds like some stupid thought plan to make me waste them. And it worked so far because I was so angry, so full of rage that I didn't realize I was being used. I still am angry and if by some miracle Torrington actually did murder my loved ones, he would wake up one day and find himself drowning in the East river.

The chances of him being a mortal were slim. If the spirit wanted him dead then he definitely knew something about the hidden side of the world.

A cold feeling washed over me, and alarmed I looked around a saw some kids enter the looked like they were in high school except for one guy who looked to be of college age. He had the look of a surfer and blonde hair reminding me of Apollo. Without even looking at me he sat down with his the best are wrong sometimes.

I got back to my research and after some time my timer rang. As I prepared to leave I noticed the kids sitting down and one of them giving me the stink eye so I walked to them.

" Do you need glasses?" I said.

Confused they turned their eyes away except one. " No. It's just that you remind me of someone."

" We haven't met." I responded.

"Are you sure?" he asked only to be interrupted.

"Will, stop it, he said he doesn't know you." The girl sitting next to him said.

Will? Wait, I know him. Apollo's goofy surfer looks, and he might know me. This is Will Solace counselor of Apollo's cabin.

At her reply he suddenly got up, said something to his friends and then to me.

"I have something important to tell you. Come on, let's get some privacy."

Stunned, I followed after him as he took me to a corner of the library.

"What's your name?" he suddenly said, staring intently at me.

Well crap. "Jack."

"Jack what?" he continued.

"Jack Smith." I said and I as soon as I said it I knew he realized I was bullshiting him.

" Percy, I know it's you."

"Who? I don't ….what are you talking about?" I tried to keep up the lie and I turned to leave only to be stopped by a tense hand on my shoulder.

"Turn your pockets inside out please."Will said looking me straight in the eyes.

"No." I said my voice a little rough.

"If you have nothing to hide-"  
"Is this some sick game you play? Get away from me you freak." I said cringing internally.

"Percy….. everybody thinks you are dead. What are doing?"

" My name is not Percy."

Will got angry with my answer, his temper flaring." Shut up, listen and stop with the lame excuses."

"Do you have any idea what your supposed death did to camp? To Annabeth? You do remember Annabeth do you Percy? Your girlfriend? How could you lie to us. Everybody looked up to you!" he roared at me, and I stood there stunned,watching Will Solace, the cool, always composed kid, lose it.

When I didn't say anything he grabbed the front of my jacket and shook me.

"Talk you damned traitor!"  
Still I said nothing, and he did something I didn't expect. He punched me. The force of the punch knocked me to the ground and I could taste blood.

I looked up at him in awe.

" Well?" he asked.

" Well what? What the Hades do you think? That I'm a traitor?"

" You went away from everyone, you left. What am I supposed to think?"

" That I didn't fucking betray you! Because I never did. You think I like this? Being all by myself? I lost my family, my friends, I have nothing and NO ONE! And you dare call me a traitor?"

His eyes softened for a second before questioning me."Your family?"

" They're dead."

"Percy I'm sorry."  
"Fuck you."

"Hey! Look-"

"If you want an explanation you're not going to get it from me, Will. You need to ask the higher ups." I said pointing my finger up."Everything is because of them. So go ask your father why the "great" Percy Jackson is living like a hobo. Oh, and don't think about telling camp about this unless you want to become a stain on the ground somewhere."

Staying quiet for a few moments he kneeled next to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"I am sorry. I thought about how you left and the first thing that came to my mind was how Luke betrayed us in the first war and I got angry. If there's anything I can help you with just say it."

I breathed heavily. " Nah,it's- actually I think I got something."

"What?"

" Do you know anyone named Alabaster Torrington?"

He looked thoughtful for a minute. " I don't know about Torrington but I remember someone named Alabaster being mentioned by some of Hecate's children."

" Do you have any idea where I could find him?"

" None, I don't even know if he's alive."

" What are you talking about."I asked.

" Percy, all of Hecate's children fought on the side of the titans." He said somberly.

" But there is a cabin of Hecate at camp."

" Yeah, because she made a deal to save the lives of her offspring."

I frowned and rubbed my jaw. " I'm going to need a favor from you."

" Really?" he said raising his eyebrow.

" Assuming you have the charms of your father."

" Crap. Don't tell me I have to go on a date with Lou Ellen." He said pouting.

"Who? Anyway you said you'd help me."

" Dude, is your memory all ready going? How old are you? A hundred? I'll help you, but only because I punched you."Will said smiling while he offered me a hand getting up.

"Just find out Alabaster's whereabouts." I instructed him.

"If he's alive."

I looked at the watch on the library's wall and my face went a little pale.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just that I've been using the computer for some time. I need to get out of here. You should too."

" I will. Where do I find you?"

"Let's say, right here , a week from now."  
"Right."

Before leaving I extended my hand and Will shook it. "I'll see you around Will."  
"Sure ." he responded.

**This is my shortest chapter yet and it's a filler one but it needed to be done. **

**Let me know in the reviews if you prefer shorter chapters but uploaded daily or waiting a few days and getting a 5k one.**

**Until next time.**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE PJ SERIES.**

**AN: I've got nothing to say.**

**Paradise Lost**

**Part V : Save Our Souls **

My hands sit on the steering wheel while the rain patters on the roof of the car. The windows are blurry, and I watch two water drops race to the finish line I drew in the steamy glass.

I move my holster around until I feel it sits right at my hip. Stashing my gun in my pocket or waistband will disadvantage me in a fight, and something like that can get you killed. I keep it on my left side, Riptide in my right pocket. Being a right-handed swordsman I trained my left hand as my gun hand.

Take a deep breath I tell myself. So I do. I take a deep breath and exit the car , slamming the car door.

_Earlier that day…._

I met Will at the library, a week later, and just as he's said, he knew where Alabaster was. His charms didn't exactly work, so he had the Stolls steal what they thought was Lou Ellen's diary.

Unfortunately the notebook they took had a bloodrune seal on it meaning that they need the blood of the person who place the rune there. So Will goes out to Lou Ellen and asks her is she would by any chance spar with him, for good old times' sake. She says yes, and she blushes under her pimples.

So they go to the arena and they fight. And what do you see Lou Ellen get wounded, not much, just a tiny cut, and Will worried comes over to her and because he is so worried he makes sure he is the one to bandage her cut. And woops, now Will is all bloody on his fingers , and he is suddenly tired he just can't spar anymore, so he says they should fight again another day.

When Will met me in the library he had a solemn look on his face and a angry one In his eyes.

He looks at me and pulls out a blue notebook from his coat pocket. Holding it out in front of me he says : " You know,Percy, I felt like a special piece of crap after getting a hold of this. I never thought of myself as being that cunning."

Waving the notebook in front of me he continues: " But then…. Then I read it. You know what's in here?"

"What?"

Will just stands there for a few seconds before putting a hand to his forehead.

" Oh, gods. How could this happen again."

"Again? Will, try to make some sense here."

" Lou Ellen? The Hecate's daughter I got this from. She's a traitor."

" What does this have to do with Torrington?"I say shrugging.

" Are you paying attention to me? She's a traitor."

" Right. That's great for her. She should get a medal for stupidity , but that's not what I care about."

" It's Camp Half-blood. You're supposed to care about that. What the Hades is wrong with you." Will says.

" There is nothing wrong with me, I'm just focused on the task at hand." I respond only to see Will narrow his eyes at me." Ughh, fine. Tell me, how is she a traitor?"

" I thought that all of Hecate's children joined our side after the Second Titan War. Because why wouldn't they? So when you asked me to help you, I thought that he was most likely dead. Still, I went and took a look, because I owed it to you. Connor and Travis got me a bunch of stuff from the Hecate cabin. Diaries, letters, useless junk. But they also got me this notebook. And for the life of me I couldn't get it open because apparently there's a blood seal on it. They found It under Lou Ellen's bunk."

"How'd you get it open?" I queried him.

"I cut her during training. Nothing major though."

"That's good to know."I responded disinterested.

"Right. Anyway, inside there is a chronicle of the Titan War from her perspective. She and her siblings were led by wouldn't you know it. Alabaster Torrington. And this guy never died in the war. When their mother came to them at the end of the war with the proposition to join our side he was the only one who refused. He even cut off all ties with his siblings."  
"So that notebook doesn't help me at all."

"Yes it does. She has been keeping an eye on her half-brother. It's all written down.

The worst part is that this kid has a severe chip on his shoulder, all riled up about losing the war. He's a loose cannon. There's stuff in here about how much he hates you Percy.

About him following you."

" That's not possible." I said in shock.

" Would you even know it? He can use actual magic. Maybe he charmed a pigeon onto tailing you. "

Saying nothing I snatched the book out of his hand and I started looking through it, one entry getting my attention.

'_Alabaster has been watching the Jackson house. I think he wants to find Percy. I fear what he'll do, maybe I should go to Chiron.'_

' _No need to worry myself. I'll stop him before he does something stupid.'_

' _They are dead. They are all dead. Did he do it? It's too late to do anything now. Chiron will talk to the gods about this and they'll definitely kill my brother, and I'll get in trouble as well. It is too late now. They are dead.'_

My jaw muscles kept clenching on their own.

" Percy, I can't have you kill him."

"…."

" I need you to understand. You don't know but there is talk about a revolution in that notebook. If we take this to camp, he will be properly punished. He will be –"

" Be what? Properly punished? Come on, Will tell me all about punishment. What is the "proper" way to deal with this? Huh? Let's all go to camp and frolic and be 'bestest' of friends while Torrington gets a chance to escape."

" He won't escape. Percy, we need to interrogate him. If there's another threat rising, this is our opportunity to stop it before it escalates" he said trying to reason.

"No." I simply put it.

"No, what?"

" That no contact thing in the notebook might be a hoax, in case she got caught. You stroll back to Half-Blood, give the address to Mr. D and next thing you know Alabaster's not there anymore."

" I,I haven't thought of that. I guess Annabeth really rubbed off on you."

My mouth became a straight line, and I turned my back to him.

" Shut up, Will."

The blonde's eye became large at that. "Right, sorry."  
" Hey, where are you going?" he said as I began walking to the exit.

" To capture that bastard. You coming?"

" Right now? I don't have any weapons."  
" We'll swing by my place. I have enough there."

"Okay. Glad we're on the same page."

Going out in the street I hail for a cab before Will stops me.

" Don't bother, I've got my car parked around the block."

" Lead the way."

As we arrive in the parking lot Will walks to a small sports car. Reaching it, he affectionately moves his hands on her surface.

" It's a Pontiac Firebird" he assures me, without me asking any questions. "I love this car." He says grinning from ear to ear.

" It's nice. I guess you got your father's taste in cars, huh?" I ask.

" I can't help it if we both have great taste in cars."

Later we arrived at the motel. Parking near the alley, I found Will frowning.

" I don't like leaving my car in this neighborhood."

" Would you quit griping? You sound like a little girl. Nothing's going to happen to it."

" Her, nothing is going to happen to her."

Putting my hand on his shoulder, I respond grinning. " Yeah, her, nothing's going to happen to her."

"But don't assume the same thing about you."I continue, my grin dissolving as realization appears in Will's mind.

My hand moves from his shoulder to his hair, as I grip a handful of it before slamming his head against the steering wheel.

-BEEP!—

Will's eyes flutter, struggling to stay open.

-BEEP!—

This time there is no movement from him. Getting out of the car, I go to the driver's side and I pull the unconscious blonde out of the car he loves so much. I drag him to the motel's basement and I chain him to a pipe in the basement.

Before I leave I retrieve my revolver, and I take a holster with me, as well as a metal plate hidden under my clothing. The bulletproof vest won't protect me from a sword hit.

As I get into Will's car, I have already made my choice.

Alabaster…. He dies.

**Hope you will forgive me the late update, but I got drunk off my butt last night, so I wasn't really in a condition to write. Sorry about that.(Hehehe)**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE PERCY JACKSON SERIES.**

**I want to thank everyone for your support, the reviews are great.**

_**Paradise Lost **_

**Part VI Abandon Hope**

-Drip-

"Uuuugh."

-Drip-

Opening my eyes, I felt something wet touching my forehead.

-Drip-

" What the Hades?"

Looking up I saw a cracked pipe dripping water on me. Trying to wipe my forehead I discovered that my right hand was restrained to a different pipe, a padlock securing the chain.

I searched the room I was in for an escape. Finding none I started pulling wildly at the chain, then trying to smash the padlock against the wall.

Freaking Percy! I should have gone directly to Chiron, or Mr. D, or anyone else. What did I think would happen? Well, I thought he would be reasonable, see the facts and act on them. Which he did, he saw them and analyzed them and acted accordingly. It's just that he acted on his own interests, instead of the camp's. I never thought I would see Percy do something this bad, and all in the name of vengeance.

If there is a riot, a revolution involving rogue demigods, killing their leader, Alabaster, as it said in the notebook, it might spark a war. A cold one, maybe , but people will die on each side.

I have to reach Percy before he puts Torrington in the ground. But how?

I don't have a cell phone, a thing which I now regret, even though it would be dangerous to own one, me being a demigod and all.

There is no way, out of here, not any that I can see. Looks like this room is what Percy uses for a basement, all kinds of stuff surrounding me. Most of it useless junk, like broken pieces of armor, and ripped clothing.

Then I noticed a pile of old, dusty looking shields to left, which it seemed to be within my reach. Wiggling and twisting my legs I dragged one flimsy looking wooden shield, with the edges chipped away.

Oh, great idea Will! Now I can make the chain laugh itself off by looking at this lame shield.

I was trying to jimmy the lock with a piece of wood that fell from the shield when the dripping pipe from above me caught my eye. I f the pipe broke, I could pull the chain off through it.

Flexing my leg, I tried a to land a kick to the pipe, only for the chain to pull me back and slam me to the ground.

Maybe I could throw something at it. With that thought in mind I picked up the shield, aware that I might only have one shot as it was unclear whenever I would reach any other one. Picking the pipe with my eyes, I imagined it one of the targets back at Camp Half-Blood, just as it was when I first picked up a bow.

Exhaling, I threw the shield. It spun wildly, chunks of wood falling off it. With a crunching sound it hit the pipe before collapsing in a heap on the basement floor. The pipe however stood firm.

Letting out a disappointed sigh, I started racking my brain when a light drizzle fell from above.

Looking at the ceiling, I grinned ear to ear. The pipe had cracked, and a sturdy rain was falling from it.

This I could use, I thought, as a small rainbow appeared in the dusty room. Checking my pockets, I brought out a golden drachma.

Before I threw it in the rainbow I stopped. Who would I contact? Percy? And what? Beg him to leave alive the man who murdered his family? Even if it would benefit hundreds.

Alabaster. I could warn him.

And then he would run, and hide in some snake hole, never to be found again. That would solve nothing.

Reviewing my choices, I realized I had one I excluded from the start. Camp.

" Here, goes nothing." I said as I threw the coin into the rainbow.

"Camp Half-Blood, The Big House."

Following my words, a imaged blurred out in front of me, depicting the inside of the Camp headquarters. Inside I made out the form of Chiron's wheel chair, with its back turned to me. Around him, were some of the cabin counselors and campers, shouting at one another.

" Well, someone took it." A girl I recognized as Lou Ellen screamed.

" Hey, I'm tired of everyone pointing fingers at the Hermes cabin every time something goes missing." Connor Stoll responded looking at his older brother for support.

" That's because it's always you." A voice said from behind the brothers, and I stopped breathing.

Annabeth Chase, stepped and came into view of the IM. It's been the better part of two years, since Percy's supposed death , and Annabeth still did not feel like her old self.

" Not always." Said Travis indignation showing on his face.

Grinning, his brother continued. "Almost always."

Annabeth wanted to say something, but she stopped as she saw me.

"Will?" she asked.

" Yeah… it's me." I responded, having everyone in The Big House turn towards the IM.

" Are you okay, my boy? Why are you chained?" queried Chiron.

" I've run into a bit of trouble."

The cabin boomed as many campers tried talking at the same time.

" I don't have time for explanations. Just send someone with the flying chariot and preferably a really big hammer." I said rattling my chains.

" I'll go." Said Annabeth, making me grind my teeth.

Perfect, just what I needed. I could tell them Percy was alive but beside the fact that it was a godly secret, maybe, they would all pelt me with questions. At this point every minute counts.

I still said nothing as two more people volunteered. Clarisse , the Ares councilor, and Butch from the Iris Cabin.

"So what's the address?" Annabeth asked.

After I gave it to her, she and her team left. Before anyone would ask me anything I crossed my hand through the message making it dispel.

They arrived 10 minutes after I closed the IM, finding me quickly in the basement.

Fortunately Butch came with equipped with a hammer. While he worked on breaking the lock, Clarisse was snickering at me. Annabeth was too busy searching through the piles of ancient stuff to care.

They freed me, and I dodged their questions as we made our way to the chariot.

The golden vehicle had two beautiful pegasi reined to it.

We got into the chariot as I gave instructions to Butch to where to drive us.

As I felt the cool, night air on my face, I saw Clarisse starting to get nervous.

" Okay, blondie, tell us where we are going?" she said.

Seeing no other way out of it I decided to anger her. "Oww, is the little girl afraid?"

Clarisse got angry at that, knuckles getting white around her spear.

" Stop the chariot." Annabeth said.

I gripped the chariot as we landed forcefully onto a building roof. Annabeth turning towards me.  
" What are you doing , Will? What are you not telling me?"

" We are losing time here. Butch get us up."

" We are not going anywhere until you explain yourself. I let it slide so far because it seemed like an emergency. But we come here finding you chained into an old building that looks like it has been used as a military base. And do you know what I saw in the infirmary?"  
"What?" I responded.

"A tank of water." She said accusingly. " Salt water."

Of course. Percy would use it as a quick healing station. He once mentioned to me that water healed him and gave him extra power. For the first time, I saw a glimmer of hope in Annabeth's eyes, muddled, though, with fear. Fear for what she could find.

Sighing heavily I said. " It's about Percy."

"What about him, sunshine?" commented Clarisse, sneaking a peek at Annabeth. Maybe she cared more about her fellow campers that she let out.

" He's alive." I said, hearing gasps.

"No way." Said Butch, mouth hanging.

" Look, I'll explain everything you want, but we need to leave now."

" Go, Butch." Said Annabeth, her face made of stone.

I explained everything to them on our way to Alabaster's location.

While the other two often let out curses directed at me , or Percy, Annabeth was the picture of silence the entire road. Suffice to say, I felt awful.

We landed in front of a small house, looking abandoned. As soon as we got out of the chariot, I knew something was wrong. Crows were standing all around the house, making a lot of noise.

Approaching, the house I saw runes etched into the grass. They were burned into the ground, I realized as I approached the house.

" These runes might be a problem." I said.

"Percy must have gotten in somehow." Responded Annabeth.

Seeing a shape etched into the grass I realized why the runes were burned, and how Percy had gotten in.

An axe was imbedded into the ground, dark grass spreading from it, traveling to every rune , lines made of burnt vegetation. On the handle of the axe were strange symbols, along with a raven that turned its head and cawed at me, flying away.

Dread entered my bones as we approached the front door of the small suburban house.

A hand was sticking out of the darkness on the front porch. Shock washed over me as I heard Annabeth sob.

Closing onto the object, I almost barfed. Continuing the hand was no body. In fact there was nothing at all, but a red liquid sprayed onto the porch.

My legs threatened to give under me as I read the tattoo written into the hand, and I understood Annabeth's strangled sobs from behind me.

On the arm barely readable from all the blood, and the scar tissue was the inscription SPQR.


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN PERCY JACKSON.**

**BlackPigeon: I thought it was pretty self-explanatory that was Will narrating. Anyway I'm going to put the point of view at the start of the chapter. And yes that is Percy's hand. Unless Alabaster joined the romans or something. Oh and thanks for reviewing. **

**Paradise Lost **

**Part VII: **_** Brink **_

Percy POV

Gods damn it all! Fuck! My arm, my freaking arm is gone!

Beads of sweat have gathered on my forehead, some of them slipping down and making my eyes burn. My skin was death pale with and my raven hair was wet. I could barely stand, and I felt sicker with every passing second.

As I entered the living room, the old demons scowled at me from the shadows. Through my red, bloodshot eyes I could make out three silhouettes creeping along the walls. Two large ones, and another, a small looking figure holding hands with the big , adult looking ones.

I looked at them, possessed by guilt, and longing, my jaw clenched so tight I feared I might break my teeth. Around the old house I could hear laughs, children giggling.

With a sudden gasp I collapsed on the coffee table decorating the living room. The old wooden piece of furniture collapsed under my weight, making my head slam to the floor.

I turned my head, seeing the child shadow run along to another apparition who was waiting for her with open arms. As the two embraced, I could see the ghostly smiles on their faces. The adults then joined them, and they all stared me down as I drowned in the darkness.

Before the dark envelop me the silhouette that was holding the child in his arms spoke to me

"_This is who you were. But not now, not ever since you sacrificed yourself. It's true what they say : Nobody escapes Tartarus." _

**Thirty minutes earlier**

I climbed out of Will's car and I made my way to the small house. Hands shaking with anticipation, I kept my right in my pocket, left on my revolver. Somewhere a crow cawed.

Passing the rusted mail box, I felt a small nudge. Carefully I extended my left arm. Immediately a burning sensation came over me. The smell of burning hair entered my nostrils. Alerted I pulled my hand back. The hairs on the back of my hand were singed.

Alabaster must have put some protective spells around his hideout.

A flap of wings, and a poignant smell of decay and a second later a figure clad in gray clothes was near me. A weird axe was hanging lazily from his hand.

Taking a deep breath, the figure turned to me.

"What's up buddy?"he said smiling at me.

Riptide appeared in my hand. Pointing it at him I smirked. " I'm about to get my vengeance."

He simply nodded and raised the axe to rest it on his shoulder.

" Well, I like that. Let's just hope you're pointing your sword at the right man…. So to speak."

" I think the direction is good. But I think placement is wrong." I said pushing my sword until it touched his chest.

" Ouch. That looks sharp." The spirit said taking a few steps back. "You're still angry I take it."

" You did threaten to kill me. And some bystander is dead. Some innocent woman."

A laugh escaped his lips. " Pshh, what the Hades kid? Innocent. Yeah , right. And my ass farts rainbows."

"What?" I said.

" I am the spirit of vengeance. I don't kill people for kicks. I'm not Ares."

" Isn't Nemesis the goddess of vengeance?"I asked.

" Well she gets all the credit if that is what you mean. But the rest of us got to eat somehow." He said grimacing.

" Consider me all softened up. I think I feel a tear coming." I said ironically.

The spirit narrowed his eyes at me before replying. " Cut the chatter will you? Kill this kid, and we both go our separate ways. And forget about the you've just killed yourself business. You threaten a vengeful spirit you're going to get something thrown back at you."

" A deal works both ways. What stops me from collecting your head?"I nudged his chin with Riptide.

Pointing a finger he said. "This barrier right here."

" I don't see how." I said taking a step towards him.

" Just watch me."

With a swing the axe was planted into the grass burning it. The burn quickly spread itself across the lawn, runes becoming visible across the plants.

" I'm Keres by the way."  
" I don't care." I said carefully taking a step towards the house.

"Jackass." I heard him say before a buzzing sound filled my ears.

With my heart in my throat I put my hand on the door handle. To my surprise it opened with a click. All those spells and you don't lock your door?"

Getting inside the house I noticed how dusty everything was. How was Alabaster living here?

Reaching the living room, I smelled motor oil, and something else. Something that made me cringe.

In the middle of the living room, standing on the couch was my father Poseidon. His manner was casual, as if he belonged right there, in that cobweb infested room.

The image of my parent suddenly disappeared, being replaced by a curly haired woman, dressed in a red jacket and holding a whip.

" Hello, Perseus." She said nonchalantly, her feet resting on a mass of rope, that kept twitching.

Taking a better look I realized that it was a person she was keeping her legs on.

A young man, with a mop of dirty brown hair was staring wildly at me with orbs of pure green hatred.

"Hello, Nemesis ….right?" I said.

" I'm surprised you know my name. Maybe you are smarter that people give you credit for."

"Who's the…. Guest?" I asked embarrassed a little.

" Maybe not that smart." She replied, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

I frowned at that, tightening my grip on Riptide.

" His name is Alabaster Torrington." She said, her hand caressing the whip in her lap." He's here because he let hatred consume him. He's here because he killed two innocent adults and a three year old child." Nemesis continued distaste evident in her every word. " He is here for you to kill him."

" I thought Keres was handling this whole situation."

" Keres likes to give himself importance where there is none."

" So you're the one who wanted to test me?"  
" Yes. You didn't think that poor fool outside was capable of this didn't you? Taking you from your safe house. Hmpf. I'd be surprised if he could tie his own shoelaces. " she puffed in annoyance.

"Why did that woman die?" I felt my throat dry.

" A sacrifice for a privilege. She got what was coming to her. Does that calm your conscience?"

" Hardly. I learned not to take the gods at their word."

She just shrugged.

Looking down, I found Alabaster watching me terrified.

" All the time I spent looking for you and I've never even heard you speak." I said taking the gag off his mouth.

The boy broke into a nervous cough before finding the power to speak.

" Fuck you, murderer."

I raised my eyebrows at that. " Are you talking to me?"

" Yeah you. You forgotten how many demigods you killed? Children."

" Is that supposed to be your excuse?" I said as I gripped him by the hair.

" Fuck you and her both. You hear me Nemesis?" whatever more he was going to say was stopped by the goddess's heel digging into his scalp.

" Quiet, you cur." She calmly responded.

" Why?" I asked.

" You took my family, I took yours. "

" They were not involved in the war, they had no business with the gods." I said my voice getting rough , and my blood roaring into my ears.

" You already have an army of corpses to hang over you. What's a few more?"

" I'm going to kill you." I said hatred pouring through me.

" I'll see you in Hades."

With a yell I brought down Riptide, point first through the boy's head. The sword went through his skull like it was made of paper. I pushed the weapon so hard it embedded in the wooden floor, drowning It in Alabaster's blood.

And the red liquid spread through the floor, pooling in every crack, until it reached my shoes. I stood there, unmoved, unforgiving watching the life go out of the body in front of me.

Dead.

" It's done. The boy is dead. You got your revenge." Nemesis said standing, one leg still resting on Alabaster corpse.

I felt in that moment hatred for the goddess. Keeping her leg on him was disrespectful. I killed him because he took my family from me. I did not torture him, I did not spit on him, I did not torment him. I gave him a quick death, no matter how much I would have liked to hear him scream and beg for mercy. I was not that far gone. At least not yet.

The sound of a whip cracked through the empty house and I found myself pulled toward to ground. Before I could reach it a kick sent my flying towards the front door. I felt my ribs break.

Pushing myself with my feet, my back hit the door, an angry Nemesis coming fast my way. In a flash I had my revolver out and my finger against the trigger. But before I could shoot, the door opened and something pulled me outside.

Seeing Nemesis almost on me, I kicked wildly around, one of them knocking her to the ground ,the shape of my shoe on her cheek. Cursing she got up. Twirling around I knocked the stranger who was pulling me , to the ground.

Taking a better look I realized it was Keres. With a swift punch, he knocked me back, terror in his eyes as he realized he gave me room when he should have kept me close.

Pointing the gun at him I fired.

BOOM!

The bullet tore half his neck off, leaving him a screaming mess of blood on the porch. Going to finish him, Nemesis whipped me across the hand, the revolver spinning out of reach, falling to the front steps of the house.

Struggling to crawl to it I felt a sharp pain between my shoulder blades that left me without breath. Not paying it any mind I reached out to the revolver and…..

A knife was suddenly in imbedded in my hand , pinning it to the ground. I looked around and I Keres , one hand holding whatever left of his neck, and the other holding the knife.

I tried to get my hand loose but Keres was unmoving. I threw him to the floor as my punch connected with his throat. He fell, surprised, blood staining his teeth, spraying into the air and spreading on my face. The spirit stood there chocking on his own blood , body shaking, until suddenly Nemesis appeared holding Riptide in her hand.

She must have gone and retrieved it as I was fighting Keres. I was by then desperate, and struggling I pulled the knife out with my left hand.

Before relief could flood me Nemesis brought down the sword on my arm. I pulled it before she could harm it, and I turned to punch her with my right fist all balled up.

Only that there was no fist, and red paint spread on the goddess's face, as she was grinning. I was aware of a weird sensation in my right arm and I could not understand why she was grinning.

Before I could react she kicked me in the middle of the chest, sending me sprawling on the steps of the house. My left hand was stuck behind me so I tried to get up with my right , only nothing was there.

Realization hit me like a freight train when I saw my own arm centimeters away , my hand pointed at me with a red spot in the middle.

I gave a strained yell and I lounged at it with all my strength. Before I could reach it , Nemesis kicked me again, laughing , reveling in her victory.

Mad fury came over me in a wave of skulls, bones , blood and guts. I felt my hand grip around the revolver stabbing my back.

I rolled as the goddess tried to kick me again.

BOOM!

Surprise colored her pale face, as her knee exploded making her face plant onto the grass.

" You- You think you can k-kill me. You fucking bitch!" I said getting up and kicking her gut.

"Better gods have tried."

Pointing the revolver at her face I fired. Earth and grass flew everywhere. The goddess was nowhere to be found.

A lighting forking across the sky gave me my answer. Fucking Zeus! I knew I couldn't kill her but sure as Hades I could bury a few celestial bronzed bullets in her skull.

My anger still blazing I stepped over my severed arm and I found Keres still struggling to breathe in a pool of blood, eyes pleading for my mercy.

They found none as I pulled the trigger a fourth time. Looking at him made me sick , so I turned away, dropping the revolver in my revulsion. Bending to pick up my arm, I felt even sicker. Grasping my own arm, only for it to fall, I tried again with the same result. I was so weak I could barely stand, not to speak of picking things.

The third time I had my right in my left, and I made it a few steps on the porch before the arm fell again. My body collapsed, and I rested my head on the wooden board. Not In any condition to stand up I crawled to the kitchen.

With great effort I got the knob turned and I placed my stump under the water. My breath was getting heavier and I felt dizzy as I made my way to the living room, In a confused thought of trying to search for a phone.

_**Present time**_

I felt death coming for me. I expected Thanatos to appear holding his tablet and checking my name off a list.

Listening to my own ragged breath, I waited for the end.

**Review!**

**Did any of you see that coming? If you did you might one of my clones. Thank you everybody for reading the stuff I write. See you next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson.**

_Paradise Lost _

_**Part VIII: Joint Action**_

Percy POV

Walls of a faded brown color surrounded me. I tried moving and I heard a sloshing sound. With a shock I realized I was in water, a tank of water to be exact. I must be in the motel.

Questions were swirling around my brain. How? Who?

Maybe Will. But he couldn't escape without help.

Turning my head I noticed someone holding my left hand. Someone with long blonde hair and princess curls.

I smiled to myself as I saw Annabeth. She had fallen asleep in her chair, still holding onto my hand. I moved to touch her face with my right hand and I felt a sharp pain. Oh…

That's right. The battle. My arm….

I looked down at my arm and what I saw shocked me.

I was… whole. Wires where sewn around In a circle around my arm. I could get up and do a dance that was how happy I was.

Ecstatic I started chuckling until I felt Annabeth squeeze my hand.

"Percy?" I heard her say.

" Hey, Wise Girl." Was all I could say before I felt something soft against my lips.

For the first time in years I felt the pressure around my chest release. All the weight placed on me was gone. Everything was going to be okay, so I lost myself in the kiss.

It felt like forever before Annabeth pulled back and gave a brilliant smile. I could see tears in her eyes, before she hurriedly turned her head.

Cupping her cheek with my hand I asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. They are happy tears you dummy." She said giving me a brilliant smile.

"Look, Annabeth, we need to talk about all that has happened." I said.

"It's okay. You can save it for later."

"You deserve an explanation."  
"Well, I don't want to hear it!" Annabeth raised her voice.

"…."

"You did what you had to do to keep everyone safe. You always have. I will not distrust you when you need me the most." She spoke, fierce determination in her eyes.

"You're making it hard to argue with you."

"Yeah, but you still love me." She replied.

I heard the door creak and I saw Will come through it.

"You're finally up." He said.

"Yeah." I said.

Will bent and started poking my hand with his index finger. Strangely I felt nothing.

"Can you move your fingers?"he questioned.

"Um..No."

"Is it bad?" asked Annabeth.

"He lost his arm, of course it's bad." Seeing the look Annabeth had on her face Will continued."He will need real help. Right now that arm is just a hunk of meat."

My chest tightened.

"You can't do anything?"I said.

"I can get you to a hospital, but that's about it."Will responded with a pained look on his face.

"No, no hospital. They would ask questions."I said.

"Camp then." Annabeth spoke."We have a lot of equipment. Maybe we can get Apollo to help."  
"I said no."

Before any of them could continue to argue with me, I got up from the tank, supporting myself on my left hand. Unfortunately I was too weak and I collapsed onto the floor.

Will and Annabeth both moved to help me, but stopped when they saw my expression. After a few more tries, I got up by moving against the wall with my shoulder, my right arm hanging limp at my side.  
"Wha- Do you hear that?"Will said.

I did. A flap of wings, a few feathers scattered suddenly around the formerly featherless room. Turning towards the sounds, I came face to beak with a jet black raven. In the bird's beak was a letter.

I held out my hand, and the letter dropped there. Without a sound the raven dissipated into thin air.

"What does it say?" asked Annabeth as I opened the letter.

Inside word were written with obvious skill.

_**To Perseus Jackson,**_

_**It was brought to our attention that you have been the victim of Nemesis's scheme. Please know that whatever damage was inflicted on you is not on any part our fault or will.**_

_**We consider Nemesis's "demise" a necessary action, taken in self-defense. However the killing of Alabaster Torrington was a mistake.**_

_**With great pain we inform you that Alabaster was not the killer. This information may seem as a lie to you but be warned that we hold bigger secrets that could benefit both parties.**_

_**We hold the true name of the killer. A limited window of time is available to us in which you can strike. A meeting place mentioned on the bottom of the page has been set. We request that you come to the specified place. **_

_**If you deny our humble request, the killer will forever be free.**_

_**C.F.E.(Coalition for Freedom and Equality)**_

I handed the paper to Annabeth, and after reading she gave it to Will.

"You can't go." Will said frowning. " They will kill you. It's a trick."  
"This is an opportunity." I said.

"For what? Getting killed? I mean, gods, look at you arm Percy. These are gods, not monsters. And Zeus knows even monsters were a handful. They are out of your league." Argued Will.

"I defeated a god before. If they killed-"I continued before getting interrupted.

"Enough."Annabeth finally joined in. "There was only Nemesis at the house were you fought?"

"No. There was this spirit. Keres, I think."I responded."And Alabaster."

"Which one is which?"asked Will.  
"What?"  
"There were two bodies. Neither of the female. So I guess Nemesis got killed earlier. So which is which?"

"The one on the porch was Keres, a spirit. And Alabaster was inside." I explained.

"Well, at least you got your vengeance, right?" Will said raising his voice."Because that is all that matters. And everyone else can go to Hades."

"What's your problem?" I asked.

"You. If you'd listened to me everything would be okay. We could've stopped this rebellion before it could gain momentum."

"We can stop it now."I said.

"No, we can't. You go alone, you die, we go to Camp and take more people, the rebels will run when they see us. We go to the gods and we will have the same result." Said Will, pointing a finger at me. " This is all on you. How many people will die , it will be on you!"

Will gave me one last ugly look before exiting the room and slamming the door.

Annabeth came and put a hand on my shoulder. She said nothing, I guess because there was nothing to say.

"I need some time alone."I said in a cold voice.

I could see the hurt in her eyes as she left, but It was something I needed to do. I broke the remains of my shirt and tied them I a sling around my bad arm.

My clothes were dry, courtesy of being the son of Poseidon. I found my bulletproof vest in the corner. Someone, Will or Annabeth, must have taken it off me. Feeling around my pocket I let out a worried breath as Riptide was in its usual place. My gun was gone though.

Donning my bulletproof vest I sneaked out the window, and went to the armory. There I got a new gun. A semiautomatic pistol, fully loaded. It could also be easier to recharge with ammo, having only one functional hand.

Thinking about how I could transport myself I spied Will's car parked next to the flying chariot out of the window.

Going out the door of the armory, I saw four figures standing in front of me. As I stepped into the light I recognized Annabeth's blonde hair and Will's.  
While I came up with what to say to them, one of the other figures grabbed me by the vest.

"Where do you think you're going punk?" I remembered Clarisse's voice.

She stepped back when she felt the barrel of the gun at her temple. "Get back."

"Percy? Where are you going?"I heard Annabeth's worried voice.

"Somewhere you won't follow."I said my voice unmoving, made from ice.

"Dude, Will told us everything. And we're sorry, but you think this is what your mother would want?" said a bulky kid whose face didn't raise any bells.

"What do you know about my family? Huh?"I asked.

"Answer me!" I continued.

When no one said anything I tried to make my way past them.

Annabeth placed her hand on my chest and pushed lightly.  
"Please….." she said tears in her eyes.

She knew me the best, and she was smart enough to know I wasn't that reckless. I couldn't let anyone die for me. Not anymore. If I could end the rebellion then I would do it by whatever means possible.

Many people died because of me in the war. Not now. I'm responsible. I end it.

Before Annabeth tried to say anything more I kissed her. I felt tears on her cheeks.

I broke away quickly and walked to the door. Nobody stopped me.

_**OLYMPUS**_

The council seats were empty except for the one holding the king. Zeus, in giant size, looked down upon one lone man facing him.

The tension was palpable in the air and the small man shivered. His face was a mixture of worry and fear. Eyes on the ground, hands fiddling with his t-shirt, he was terrified.

"You and yours might have started another world war. Attacking Poseidon's spawn?" Zeus spoke.

"I-I tried to stop her. But she outranks me as well as overpowers me. She wouldn't listen…my lord."

"You should have done better. I put you there for a reason, boy. I trusted you, and my trust is hard to get."

"Sir, please, I will do better next time. " the man begged.

"Do not beg you fool. You may yet continue to exist if what I hear pleases me. What is the boy's condition?"

"His friends found him. He will live although he lost his arm."

"Surprising." Zeus said.

"Milord?" asked the frightful man.

" A goddess to be humiliated in such way. Should I have been late, she would have lost. And the boy did all this without his arm?"

" Yes, after Nemesis cut this arm, he shot her in the kneecap making her fall to the ground. Perseus nearly killed her."

"No matter what you can say about the ocean spawn, you can't say he is boring." Said a chuckling Zeus "And Nemesis, thinking that she can sit in my throne, and she can't even defeat one alone, ambushed demigod."

"What have you told the rest?" asked the king of gods.

"They don't know you have Nemesis. They think she is reforming. Not one of them knows that you found out about the rebellion."

"What Is their next course of action?"

"They want to make contact with Perseus. They want to persuade him to join them. Thinking about using his family's death as the reason."

"Nemesis handed the Hecate child to Perseus and pointed him as the killer. What are they going to say to the boy?" Replied Zeus.

At this the man squirmed uncomfortably.

"They are going to blame it on you sir. The assassination attempt on him, his family's death. Everything."  
"They boy is not an idiot, contrary to public opinion. He will never believe this fairy tale."

"You had him exiled ,sir. He will look at any chance to fight back."

"And if he refuses?"asked Zeus.

"He will be used as a hostage or killed….but I can stop the meeting. I can convince them the boy is being watched-"

"No." said Zeus.

"Sir?"

"The meeting will happen. You will be present. If he dies, you can be a witness and direct my brother's wrath towards them. And if he agrees, kill him." Boomed Zeus.

AN: SolemnEagle: In the earlier chapters I mentioned that Alabaster was the leader of the rebellion. It is possible that Nemesis was allied with him as she sided with the titans in the first war. But the gods are fickle, so what I was going for with the previous chapter was that Nemesis betrayed Alabaster, so she could get a chance to kill Percy. The rebels would have to attack Half-Blood as they are the personal army of Olympus. New Rome too. Percy would not stand for that, and he is very powerful. Nemesis believes that true success requires sacrifice. Alabaster was the sacrifice. Killing him she could put one of her kids in charge, and making Percy do it, she would make him seem as a hitman working for Zeus.  
If the rouge demigods think they are being hunted they would join the rebels in greater numbers.

So no, Nemesis didn't feel that Percy was about to attack her. It's possible that he wasn't going to attack. The attack was planned before hand.

Sorry for the insanely long explanation. I hope you like this chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER****: I DON'T OWN PERCY JACKSON.**

**Paradise Lost**

**Part IX: Intermission**

Percy Point OF View

Why do I act the way I do? Why do I make the decisions I make? I honestly don't know. I knew once. Everything just clicked. Save the people, be the hero. Now I struggle. Take this situation I'm in. It's so confusing. Everybody wants to screw me over. Nemesis wants to kill me, and then I get a letter by CFE that tells me that Nemesis has nothing to do with them and she went AWOL. I didn't even know CFE existed and that Nemesis was with them. What I do know is that Zeus "rescued" Nemesis and that CFE think she's scattered to the winds aka dead, or as dead as a god gets.

Alabaster killed my family. Did he? Did he not? Was he just some chump that the goddess of revenge used? I'm slowly realizing that the more I find out the less I know. Why did Nemesis wanted to kill me? Huh. My head hurts.

Now you may wonder why my tone is so lighthearted and relaxed. That's because every time a dangerous, potentially life threatening situation develops I find myself assured and comfortable. Like stepping into an old pair of shoes.

Okay, but if you go to the meeting then you will surely get killed, thing that might spark a war between Poseidon and Zeus is what you might ask. Well imaginary person residing in my brain, I have two things to say.  
First, I think Will pumped me full of painkillers. I feel very weird. Second. I got a plan, of course. So calm down.

I got out of the bus on at the last stop, near an abandoned building complex, thing that won me a suspicious look from the driver before he returned to base.

The area looked like it might house a few homeless people. Decolored and cracked pavement on the ground. Glass windows were inexistent, whoever lived there putting cellophane around the holes.

I entered the complex and headed towards the biggest building I could find. Two guards were posted at the entrance.

"Please leave all your weapons with us, sir." A woman in a blue-black suit addressed me.

The painkillers were wearing off and I felt a rush at the back of my head. My useless arm started hurting and I could sense the blood rushing through my body.

Before I could throw an insult at the guards, someone stepped beside me and said." I think that's quite all right." He said and smiled sweetly at the guard.

She in turn blushed and stepped back, earning a snicker from her colleague.

"Take a walk with me, will you?" asked the mystery man. He wore a black coat, lined with red at the sleeves, black pants, and black shoes.  
"You have a familiar face."I said to him as we walked briskly, desolate buildings surrounding us.

"I suppose I do." He responded, a shadow creeping over his features." What are you doing here Perseus?"

"Going to a meeting."  
"I never expected you to come. Actually not just me, a lot of people thought that you are smarter than this." He said concern in his voice.

I instantly narrowed my eyes at him, making him flinch.  
"Where do you get off buddy? Telling me what you think about me, and what I should do." Voice rough, my left hand making a fist.

"No harm intended my boy."

"I'm not your boy." My patience was inexistent with any situation concerning gods or spirits.

"Look, I am only trying to help you. And I for one think you should listen to me." He continued, voice a little shaky.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because if you don't you are never going to get out of here in one piece." He stared wildly at me while I started giggling.

Giggle turned into a laugh and the man took two steps back from me, moving to cover his frame with his arms. He expected me to attack him.  
"You're not the fighting type are you?"

"No." he said straightening himself and patting down the creases in his clothes." I am all for the diplomatic approach."

"But…you are surrounded by blood hungry thousand year old gods. So my question is how are still here?" I asked.

"Hippies mostly. And pacifists. I got the responsibilities no one else would have." He said shrugging.

"You remind me of someone."I said.

"My brother. I look a lot like him."  
"What's his name?"I asked.

"Keres." The man responded his eyes darkening.

I stood there not knowing what to say and looked at the small man in front of me. Instead of guilt or a trace of bad feeling for the killing of his brother I felt anger.

"What's your name?" I said through gritted teeth.

"Themis. I used to be the god of custom but most of us have faded and every responsibility was divided among the remaining."

"So what do you want Themis?"

"Well…I want, I need to keep you alive."

"That was not my guess. I thought you would like revenge."I said scratching the back of my head with my good hand.

"Are you left handed?"asked Themis raising his eyebrows.

"Uhh yeah." I responded.

"That's strange, I thought you handled your sword with your right."  
"Yes. What about it?"

"Nothing. Anyway, I don't know how to phrase this." Themis said looking over his shoulder nervously. "I work for the big guy."

"What?"  
"I'm undercover. And from what Mr. Z told me you are pretty much screwed." he said making a sound like when a lightning strikes.

"I don't follow."I said.

"CFE wants you to join them, get it? And if you do I am supposed to kill you. Upper orders." He said plainly.

"No, I got that. But why would they want me to join. You are all gods. You don't need me."

"You killed Nemesis pretty easily didn't you?" Asked the man next to me.

I shot a look at my right hand. "Not really."

"Maybe. But you are alive. You fought a god and a spirit and you won. That can't happen. Even with all your power that should not have been possible. But you prevailed. You want to know why that is?"

"The fight wasn't that easy man. It was a literal bloodbath." I said getting annoyed.

"It's because Zeus took power away from the minor gods." Themis continued like I hadn't interrupted."Basically that's the whole reason that this is happening. Gods don't form coalitions. I think this is the first one."

"Let me stop you right there. I know you think this is important. But it's not. I've fought in four wars. Everybody has their side and reasons. It is a war against evil and dictatorship right." I gestured around me. "What you guys are doing all this for."  
"Right."  
"Every war is good versus evil. But who are good guys and who are the bad guy. You said you work for The Big Guy but you sound pretty loyal to CFE. At least to me you do. So why are you with him? Do you think this side will lose?"I asked.

"At first I did." He said his eyes looking at the ground.

"You did the right thing."I said and his eyes met mine. "You warned me and that makes you better that 99 percent of the people in this dump."

I turned around and started walking and I heard his footsteps follow mine.

"Are you going to the meeting?" I asked.

"Yes. What am I to do?"he replied.

"Huh?"

"If you join I have to kill you. If you don't they will kill you." He said, his voice laced with exhaustion.

"Don't worry. Just get me through weapons check."

"Well if that's the case you can't go through the front door. Here, follow me." Themis said leading me to a side door.

"Wait." He said as I made to open the door.

Themis placed his hand on the wooden surface of the door and it vibrated a little before turning back to normal.

"Okay. Now you can go."

I felt the change immediately as I stepped into the building. Inside everything was well light and everywhere I looked there were people with fancy clothes. Made me feel like a bum especially since when I was little I got my clothes from cheap shops. And the situation didn't improve in recent times.

Another thing I noticed were the masks and hoods. Everyone's face was hidden and I could only make out their gender and in some the hair color. In my opinion all this was useless because can't gods change their faces?

I grabbed Themis by the arm and whispered. " I'm the only one without a mask, and I look like steamed crap compared to these people. I'm gonna stick out like an American at a rugby game."I noticed Themis also had a mask on.

"Ah screw this." I said and walked to the bar. On it was a half full bottle of scotch.

I took it and downed it all.

"Shit!"I said as I felt my insides light up.

I walked to the front of the room where a stage was placed and climbed on it.

"Hey!" I yelled as I put undid the zipper on my jacket.

A lot of people turned to look at me.

"You want to be free of Olympus?"I said. "You want to win this. You want to survive this and not be just another failed attempt in the book of fate?" That got the chamber's attention and few cheers.

"I can get you that." Cheers again." We will topple the throne of Zeus!" I yelled.

"You want to burn Olympus to a charred heap?" People were yelling now.

I put my hand in my pocket and gripped the plastic switch inside.

"You want to kill Zeus?" The whole world exploded in a yell. Masks were being thrown in the air.  
"Do you want to RULE?" everybody was screaming and I could see flashes of color through the air.  
"Well you are not going to."I said my voice clear and steady and I showed the world my hand.

The yells stopped. With my elbow I got the jacket to my side a little giving everyone a view at my explosive strapped torso. On me I had eight bottles of Greek fire and a dead man's switch in my left hand. A dead smile in my face I said:  
"This joke of a rebellion is coming to an end. RIGHT NOW!"

**That's it. Cliffhanger. The next part might be the last one for this story. We will see.**


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: ALL RIGHT TO THE PERCY JACKSON SERIES GO TO RICK RIORDAN.**

**Paradise Lost **

**Part X Worse than death**

Being near death as much as I have makes you think about things. It made me realize the type of man I am. It made me an immoral monster.

What I'm talking about is the last great battle of the Giant War.

Things were getting desperate. The scales tipped in favor of Gaia and morale was low. I and what was left of the roman legions took our last stand in a small town in Ohio named Marysville.

Short on supplies and with a lot of wounded we tried to make it to Columbus where a small base belonging to our side was set up.

We never did make it. Gaia sent her remaining children to stomp on us. Two and a half months of uninterrupted siege. No help came. It became clear to it never was going to come. Left for dead.

As the chain of command dropped more and more of its links it came to me to lead the broken and sick roman war machine.

I have nightmares to this day. After it was over I thought I'd never sleep again. The last legate dropped on his sword. I suppose I should have seen it coming, muttering and paranoid, breaking down. Never when the soldiers could see him though.

So I took the mantle. I realized that if I didn't do anything then we would die. Why wasn't nobody coming?

I got parties going out and sneaking and stealing supplies. Blood and dirt and madness. Everybody was crumbling. One soldier tried to kill me one night. He came at me with his dagger. He gave me a 4-inch scar on my cheek. I would have died that night, but before he could finish me off he started crying and just gave up. I walked to him and put a bullet in his head. Had to, he was already gone. Mercy killing. That's the right thing to do. No? What kind of a demon am I?  
I had his body put with the suicides.

Two days later I had to order the extermination of the wounded. We no longer had enough food and they had already started dying from lack of nutrition. It stayed in my brain, the sight of them rolled up in white sheets with their heads dripping blood through the white fabric.

Rot and dirty water, flowing in my mind. A picture to tattoo in my brain.

We won though. From all my soldiers, all the people I was responsible for, 34 remained of which 16 wounded.

When they finally came, the hero was dead, and all they found was a dehumanized husk. I figured it out all by crazed self. All a setup. Athena herself did it.

Sacrifice for victory. Isn't that what everything is about? She knowing full well what would happen sent me and my army into the mouth of the snake. So, while we were eating rats and boiling our leather shoes, they assaulted Gaia who wasn't paying that much attention because of someone was busy dying at the hands of her spawn. While Camp Half-Blood was holding Manhattan with no loss of life, I was coming apart at the seams. Hand-picked because of my fighting skills to go with the Romans and whatever mercenary company wanted to join.

One mistake in the plan. Nobody was supposed to be alive. I saved them and I got hated for it.

But how could a mess of a human like me go back to camp. I might say something wrong and make the gods look bad. Oh heavens no!  
Easier to say I died a hero's death that to live a crazy, psychotic life. Well, I'm fine now. That's why I'm about to kill myself.

Two guards moved towards me.

"Aaah. I would not do that." I said wiggling my hand a bit. "So, I bet you are wondering how could this happen. It's because you are idiots."

"What are you waiting for? Get him." Said a man, a fox mask on his face.

"Am I the only one worried about the bomb?"I asked.

"What do you want?" asked a woman in a commanding voice.

The building started to shake, pieces of cement falling from the ceiling. Some of the gods took monstrous appearances, better suiting their reputation of age old vengeful deities.

"A little Greek fire will not kill us boy. And even if it did, do you know the consequences the world will suffer?" the woman continued.

"Hmm?" I played the fool. "What Greek fire?" I said smiling to my ears.

"This one?" I continued pointing to my chest. The door on the building shuddered and made a creaking sound. "This is not Greek fire."  
"What is happening?" a panicked voice was heard.

"The big boys are coming." I said.

Suddenly a flaming arrow hit me in arm.

THUD.

My left arm went numb, and the room went silent in expectation. No explosion.

"Shit!" I was startled as my clothing caught fire.

I started rolling on the floor and I didn't notice the bright light in the room. When the fire ran out I heard a ripping sound, when the ceiling was suddenly pulled free of the building and thrown into the air by an unknown force.

A buzzing sound filled my ears, and I felt like my brain was melting. In a hurry I buried my head in my burned clothes, shutting my eyes.

The earth trembled for a few minutes and then it was all over. I sheepishly looked upwards and I found a tall woman with brown hair, dressed in battle armor and holding a spear staring at me.

She grabbed me by the arm before I could protest and I had to close my eyes again.

I arrived in an opening in the middle of a forest. Standing up, I stretched my bones.

"That went great!" I said.

Athena stood silent with a package in her outstretched hand. "Take it."

"What is it?" I asked taking it.

"Something to help you with your arm." She said simply.

"Cool."I responded taking the package with my left hand.

After a few more seconds in which she stared at me while I fidgeted nervously and I finally said:  
"Uhh, could you give me a lift?"

"Do not worry. I will take you home, but you will promise me something first."

"What?" I said as suspicion crept on my back.

"You will stay away from my daughter. You will never contact her again."

"Excuse me?" I said surprised.

"Why do you think she has not stopped you? You wouldn't be here is she cared for you. Did she even try to talk you out of this?" she asked all the while gesturing with her spear.

In response I started gritting my teeth.

"Have you no better things to do? Making me angry. What's the purpose here?"

"The purpose is that of making sure my daughter has a future."

"She doesn't have that with me?" I said getting angry.

"You are a sickness, a cancer. A disease that kills. This is not about me blaming you but about speaking the facts as they are. Your family is dead because of you-"  
"Shut up!"

"If you had kept to yourself they would be fine. You need to realize that."  
"It's not my fault. I-"desperation crept in my voice making it shake.

"I warned you. Personally. That is the reality, and if you will not make the same mistake with my daughter."

"I did not kill them. I had nothing to do with it. You are just trying to manipulate me. You never liked me. And now because she came back to me, you want to take her away."  
"I never liked you but I respected you. I still do. You did the things that need to be done. The hard choices, but you need to cut the ties you have." Athena said, her grey eyes  
"I can't live without people, without my friends without Annabeth. Not anymore." I tasted blood in my mouth from the force I gritted my teeth with.

The reply I got was the goddess of wisdom shrugging, and her mouth making a straight line. Merciless.

"Annabeth moved on. She is going to college. She has someone who is good for her. While you haven't even finished high school and are barely sane. You need to stop being selfish and accept that you need to make a compromise."  
"Fine." I said after a few moments of uncomfortable silence. "Just get me out of here."  
Athena nodded and I closed my eyes.

I found myself at the motel. Will's car and the chariot were both gone. I went inside.

In my medical room, so to speak, I got my clothes off and I checked my arrow wound. My Greek fire bomb was a hoax. A few green bottles filled with water.

The arrow itself fell when I started tumbling on the ground back at the complex but there was a shard of metal sticking out of the wound.

_Annabeth moved on. She found someone who is good for her. _That hurt me more that any wound. I hoped, when I saw Annabeth again that maybe…..

Damn it! She kissed me. Damn gods.

It was a reflex. Like old times, that's why she kissed you, and you were barely alive. She was relieved. People do weird things in situations of stress. A cold voice inside of me spoke. One that in recent times had gotten louder and louder.

I swore as I pulled the shard out. After I took some antibiotics to be sure and I bandaged the wound.

My face was sweaty and dusty, probably from rolling on the floor so I went to the sink to wash.

I threw water in my face and I felt better instantly. I glanced at the mirror. _You are a disease._

I spat in the sink the blood that gathered in my mouth. _Cancer._

I looked at the mirror again and I saw my tired face.

Sickness_. You killed your family. Disease._

Angry, I threw my fist through the mirror. Again and again and again until my hand was a mess.

I crumpled on the ground shaking. My breath shuddered and I closed my fist making myself cringe.

Blood dripped on the ground. It seems that this is all I'm good at. Bleeding and killing.

Huh. It's a wonderful life alright.

**Filler chapter. Sort of.**

**Nobody reviewed in a while. What's up with that? I don't know if these last chapters are that good, but I guess it will have to do.**

**See you in the next edition of Let's make Percy Jackson miserable and insane! That's all folks!**

**Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: The copyrights all go to the respective owners.**

**Paradise Lost **

**Part XI Who Will Care for the Fallen? **

**Percy POV**

I fixed my right arm, with the help of Apollo's healing device, the one in the package that Athena gave me. It was composed of two metal braces, and in between a white material not unlike a bandage, except it was harder and it had intertwining lines going on the surface.

The first brace hooked along my wrist and the second on my shoulder, the material in the middle covering my entire arm, emulating it and sticking to my skin. After wearing the healing device I could move my arm, not the same as before, but it was better that the useless piece of meat that was earlier.

Angry, would describe me in a small way. I was more than angry; I was furious, chockfull or rage. I needed to do something. Make someone pay.

So I got dressed, got my weapons and went out.

I walked down the street in the cold autumn air not knowing where I was going.

Alone, yet again. I let Athena rant and order while I just stood there. What's even worse I didn't even try to fight when she told me about Annabeth. What does that say about me?

I wondered around lost like a puppy until I felt the cold night air surround me. My growling stomach announced me of the passing of the time, and as I looked around disoriented I found myself in a park, with brown and orange trees covered by the shadow.

Exhausted, I collapsed onto a nearby bench. I rubbed my hands on my face and I sighed.

My eyes gazed over the stillness of the park. I felt movement near me and I saw a man sit near me.

He searched through his coat pockets and he pulled out a cigarette pack. The man looked rattled though he had a calm, sorrowful air at the same time.

"Themis?" I asked as soon as I recognized him.

He nodded slowly as he brought a cigarette to his lips.

The man had obviously seen better days. He was unshaved, a shadow covering half his face, his clothes were ruptured and burned in places.

"What are you doing here?"

Themis shrugged "I needed to see something."

"You don't look to good." I continued.

"I don't feel good either." Themis replied as he blew smoke.

We sat in silence for a few minutes until he finished smoking.

He flicked his cigarette but onto the grass. "Was it good?"

"What?"

"Killing the kid, what's his name, you know the one I mean. He who killed your family."

"Alabaster Torrington." I responded, my voice getting rough.

"Yes, him. How did it feel?"

"It felt like you should keep your trap shut." I said.

Themis raised his hands in defense. "I'm not blaming you. I just want to know."

I let a breath out. "No, you don't. Trust me."

The god beside me furrowed his brow."Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I hope you did not come all this way just to ask me that question."  
Themis said nothing as he brought out another smoke.

When he finally spoke he said "You know, I once had a son. He was a lot like you. Rash, hotheaded and angry at the world. Hmm, maybe more angry at me than the world, but still. It compares well to you." I raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, this son of mine, I had a weak spot for him, so I spent more time with him and his mother than any of my other children. But….as time passed, every day it became harder and harder to ignore my responsibility. See, I won't go to heaven, when I finally find my end. Nobody will remember me, even my body will scatter to the winds. No one will mourn. My children are all I have. But I abandoned one of them because the world needed me to. We all need to make sacrifices for the greater good."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "You understand now?"  
I let out a strangled laugh. "Athena sent you?"  
Themis looked at me with a confused face. "I came on my own accord."

"Of course you would think that." I got up.

"You gods are all starting to sound like a broken record. Tatatata sacrifice tatatatat don't be selfish." I said as I made a talking gesture with my hand. "This and the whole cryptic message thing, I have to say it is really stupid."

"Listen I-"Themis started.  
"I'm done listening. You want sympathy? From me?"

"I was trying to help you." The god said getting up.

"You're really not. See, what you don't understand is that I am done with being a piece on Athena's chess board. You want something done; go get your own hands dirty."  
Themis made a strange face, his anger bubbling to the surface.  
I grabbed his coat with both hands and I pulled him close.

"And if you ever talk to me about sacrifice I'm gonna teach you what it really means." I released him; pushing him a little and making him fall backwards.

Even the frailest of gods have a giant ego, so I expected a fight. What I didn't expect was to hear him beg.

"Don't leave, please, I need your help."

I slowly shook my head in disgust.  
"You were right; I was trying to gain your sympathy. I-I never had a son. Please you have to help me."

"No. I'm done. Find another life to destroy. Mine is already burnt to cinders." With that I turned my back on him.

I kept walking as I heard him scream behind me.  
"They'll kill me. Please. You-you have to stop them….."  
I did not turn back.

**Bleak stuff but you should be used to it by now. I don't know why but I can't write touchy feel good stuff without something bad happening first.**

**Stay with me, hopefully Percy will get redemption, even though he is now in the same position he was in the beginning of the story. You can take that for crappy writing, or as a testament of the condition he is in. He has nothing, and even the little things he gains, like seeing Will, and Annabeth knowing he is alive, even those are being taken away from him before long.**

**I swear everything has a purpose, even all the bad things I did to Percy.**

**Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All rights go to the respective owners.**

**AN: I noticed a lack of reviews on the previous chapter. That's because it probably made no sense. It will soon though. **

**Part XII Heaven Knows**

**Percy POV**

I'm standing in my old apartment. The sunrays are intruding through the windows bearing down on the carpet.

I step to the window and I look outside. Darkness. Nothing but darkness. Strange.

There is a crib in the corner of the room. The red paint on it is dripping on the cheap carpet underneath, creating a puddle of crimson.

Two figures materialized from nothing in front of the crib. One of them leaned into the bed and took something into its arms. The silhouette turned and it had the face of a relatively young man with brown hair and warm face.

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay sweetie. You're not alone." He said as he gently rubbed the baby's face, all the while a smile on his face.

After the baby calmed down he put him or her down in the middle of the room, in a mound of toys, all shapes and sizes.

A voice called from behind me.

"Check this out!" the sound came from the couch. A balding head could be seen, the face watching the TV.

When I didn't move it got hostile.

"Get over here you little shit." The voice bounced of the dirty old walls and made my head spin.

I slowly stepped towards the couch dread settling in my bones, suddenly feeling very small and weak.

A movie was playing on the television, the electronic gently buzzing. I absently collapsed on the piece of furniture without looking at the person beside me.  
The TV captured my vision and I felt everything turn to black. In a second the world changed.

Everything shook, and then people were screaming and panicking all around me. Confused, I tried to get my bearings when someone bumped into me. I was thrown to the ground.  
A shocked flight attendant stepped over me. I got up in a daze, and looked around. I was in what seemed like a small plane. The few passengers were spread on their seats, some crying, and some yelling.

The alarms were screaming all around me, red lights flashing. Grunting, I started to make way to the back of the airplane.

A brown mop of hair caught my attention. The man from before….

He was hugging a woman who resembled my mom. A turbulence or something hit and I flew into a food cart.

The fuselage broke, and a hole the size of a horse appeared. I gazed over to the familiar man and I saw only his seat...empty. I felt curiously empty, as if the air from my lungs had been sucked out. I started coughing violently and I snapped to another place.

Sitting on my knees I tried regaining my breath, which took a few tries. With great effort I planted my feet better in the ground and I stood.

The smell of the forest flew into my nostrils. A great deal of trees surrounded me. Big lumbering towers high as skyscrapers. I noticed the faint image of a house in front of me.

With nowhere to go I started towards the building. I passed through the roots of the giant trees, huffing with each breath. After some time the ground started to rise, making going on harder. I don't know how long I spent climbing the hill, gripping my hands into the wet ground and clinging to weeds and roots until I reached what I searched.

Sounds of fighting came to my ears from the house and I stopped and waited when they suddenly stopped.

I saw the front doors blow out of their hinges and fly 20 feet in the air. People spilled out of the building, fleeing it seemed from a huge behemoth of a man.  
Most of them lost themselves in the trees but one figure stumbled and fell on its face, shaking with fear.  
The giant advanced towards the fallen body on the ground and seeing this I tried running towards them.

The ground suddenly became slippery and the harder I tried to run the harder I fell back.  
"Fuck." The soil became pitch black, and I slipped on my back, sliding to the base of the hill. The black substance got in my hair, my clothes and my face.

Angered I broke into a run back upon the hill, when I heard a thump and a crack.

I jumped just in time as a tree collapsed a couple of centimeters from me. From the destroyed trunk came a savage sound and a wild boar jumped in front of me.

It was a great beast, beady little eyes hidden in the back of the sockets, pure hate flowing from them, its tusks burning red hot, the same went with the hair on its tail, every time it touched the ground, leaving a trail of fire.

And it charged at me, this monster, too fast, too late for me to dodge. I gripped its tusks with both hands and I pushed against it with all my strength.

But it wasn't enough and it slammed me into a tree. My hands were burning but I felt very little, perhaps from the great heat of the tusks. I gave a yell as the tusks went into my abdomen.

I blinked and the pain went away. Opening my eyes, I was watching the TV, sitting on the couch. I turned my head slowly to the left as I heard a jagged breathing and I smelled rotten eggs.  
"Gimme a twenty, and don't tell your mother." The stone face of Ugly Gabe spoke towards me sending fumes in my eyes.

Shocked I jumped from the couch, landing on my back on the floor. As he scratched his head a large chunk of stone fell on the couch. Gabe himself seemed surprised and as he started to crack he looked terrified.  
He looked at me before he turned into a pile of dirt.

In the middle of the room the brown haired man played with the baby, a woman watching silently over them.

The baby giggled as the man played with a toy plane.

"How long can you be surrounded by darkness before you are engulfed by it?" he addressed me.

"It's lonely out here." He continued while playing with the airplane. "I'd stay out of it."  
"The blood monger is loose. Find him. Don't let me down grandson."  
The plane suddenly came down towards the carpet, and the baby giggled.

"Boom." Said the man as the toy smashed to bits against the floor.

I woke up in my bed at the motel. I was drenched in sweat and in shock I threw myself from the bed. My nails went into the soft wooden floor as I broke into a body racking cough, spitting and retching blood all over.

**That's it.**

**I gave a few clues as to who is the giant man all those people in the forest were running from is. See if you can guess. But if you can't that's okay.**

**Seaspawn was it wow as in wow this is awesome or the other kind?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All rights go to Rick Riordan. **

**Thank you for all the reviews. They make me want to write more and better.**

_**Paradise Lost  
Part XIII Loose ends**_

Demigod dreams are a bitch, usually. Creepy, dark confusing things that seem to be pulled right out of slasher films. Mine anyway.

Still, sometimes they contain hints and clues for a quest or prophecy. None of which I have the  
"clearance" to take part in anymore. Of course, the most obvious answer here, at least to me, is that some god is trying to manipulate me or drag me into a trap. All I have left is to figure out the dream.

My dream was predominated by the presence of a man with brown hair and kind face. Also he called me grandson and he was taking care of a kid and playing with toys.  
He also had something to do with a plane crash.

My grandparents from my mom's side died in a plane accident south of Lake Ontario. Unless Kronos decided to babysit, I guess the man from my dream was my mom's father.

I am supposed to find some blood monger.

_Don't let me down grandson._

Except from the empousai I don't believe I know any blood mongers. Maybe it has something to do with the guy in the forest those people were running from. Who was he?

Ares? One of his symbols is the boar. I know that because he used one when we fought for the Master Bolt 7 years ago. I guess you could describe Ares as a blood monger.  
It wasn't much, well it was nothing but it was all I had. No empousai were present in my dream but Ares might have been there. Maybe he could enlighten me.

Time to find the god of war. Ahh, this is going to be a bad day.

Now, I had no idea where to find said blood monger but ever since I got banished I kept an eye out for anything supernatural and I tried to familiarize myself with all the gods and basically everything out of the ordinary. Gun shops seem to be a favorite of Ares and half an idea cropped in my head. Maybe just maybe I would luck out.

I went into a gun shop.

As I stepped through the door, a bleary eyes man muttered a greeting from behind a magazine.

The shop keeper who greeted me stood behind the counter. He was a short man, dressed in a black and green track suit. His eyes hinted at an addiction of some sort. Or maybe he was just drunk.

I approached the counter and I pretended to check out the pistols.

"Need anything man?" he said.

"No, I'm just window shopping." I'm just window shopping.

The keeper, for some reason, got real scared when he looked directly at my face. He neatly folded his magazine and put his hands behind the counter.

"You-you." He stammered. "You got a permit?" his hands searched frantically for something.

I patted my pockets searching for the inexistent gun permit.  
"Damn." I said in dismay. "Ohh, you know what? I think I left it at home." I said and smiled apologetically raising my shoulders.

The shopkeeper's eyebrows scrunched together.

"You know what?" he asked anger and fear mixed pouring out of his eyes.

"What?"

"I would like you to get out mister." The small man said.

"Calm down. I'm just looking."

The shopkeeper abruptly brought out in his hands a sawed off shotgun.

Pointing it straight at me he yelled in panic. "Get out!"

Fear could be seen on my face even though the man holding the gun didn't even have his finger on the trigger. When I didn't move he brought the shotgun closer to his shoulder and moved his fingers to the triggers.

My face changed in the moment it took him to take the gun to his shoulder. My eyebrows furrowed and my mouth turned into a straight line. In a heartbeat I was near the counter and I grabbed the barrels of the shotgun.

"I'm not here for you." I simply said to the obviously panicked man. "I've got bigger fish to fry."

"I-I don't know what you are talking about." He said not lowering the gun.

"Really?" I asked and I suddenly snatched the shotgun out of the shopkeeper's hands and slammed the butt of the gun in his nose.

He collapsed with a thud, hitting the shelved of ammunition behind him. Rounds fell onto his as a golden rain.

I jumped the counter and I grabbed his hair with my right hand, still holding the shotgun with my left.

"What do we have here?" I asked as I grabbed a horn growing out of the man's head.

The shopkeeper mumbled something I couldn't understand.

"Well, well. A satyr selling guns. There's gotta be a joke in there somewhere."

I adjusted my grasp and I hit his head against the shelves making him cringe and move his hands to his bleeding nose.

He stared at me with his angry little eyes.

"What? You want mercy?" my face grew angrier and I looked him straight in the eyes. "I'm all out of mercy for kidnappers and murderers."  
"Where my least favorite war junkie?" I asked my tone leaving no room for bullshit.

"Who?" the shopkeeper asked.

"You are going to need something cleverer to get me to say his name. You know who I mean. Big biker dude, shades on his eyes, knife scars on his ugly face? Hear of him?"

"No."

"Out of all the people who come in this place half of them never get out. I checked. What? Did the war junkie change his diet? This is your chance to repay all those lives you damned."

"He doesn't eat them." The satyr responded.

"Oh?"

"I don't know what happens to them. I just get them to him."

"Show me." I said and bumped his head with the barrel of the shotgun.

The small satyr slowly got up. He led me to a backdoor.

"Here you go." He said still angry about his nose.

"Hey, if this is a trap I'm going to turn you into a fucking daisy."  
"Screw you, that asshole is probably gonna pelt me anyway. And you maybe."

"Maybe." I was growing tired of acting like a dickhead, but I wouldn't want this guy shooting me in the back.

Without warning I pushed my elbow into his temple. He slumped to the ground without another word.

Bracing myself I opened the door.

I stepped into a dark corridor. Dim lights were placed at a considerable distance from one another creating spots on darkness on the hallway.

Walking through, I heard a sloshing sound beneath my shoes. Lifting my shoe I saw a red spot forming on it.

I touched the red substance and smelled it. Crap.

It was blood. The carpet beneath my feet, the red carpet was colored with actual blood.

Disgusted I thought about going back but the thought soon left my mind.

Creepy as all Hades. This thought got amplified as I advanced I saw skulls decorating the walls.

Wanting to get out as soon as possible I started to run. The sloshing sounds followed me like the plague. Soon I reached a lone metal door.

I quickly grabbed the handle and pressed. Stepping through, i suddenly found myself in a forest. A sentiment of dread washed over me, and it only got worse as I recognized the giant trees surrounding me. I felt anger and panic rising in my chest as I started to run once more.

I looked behind me and I found no boar coming after me. Maybe I wouldn't die here after all.

Sprinting to the trees I quickly reached the building I saw in my dream. The place was changed though. The windows were broken and the wooden surface on it was blackened by what I suspected was a fire.

Going to the entrance I looked behind me to where I saw Ares in my dream. On the forest floor I saw bodies sprawled with different wounds, all of them very much dead.

Gritting my teeth and putting a blank look on my face I pushed the doors open. As soon as I stepped inside I wished I didn't.

Corpses in different stages of decomposition were laying on the floor. Some of them were dressed in modern clothes, some of them even clutching guns, and others were wearing Greek battle armor with shields, swords and bows laying with them.

Towards the end of the great room I found myself in, there was the god of war.

I carefully stepped towards him. Ares was slumped into a throne of corpses, wearing his armor, an axe resting on his shoulder.

When he saw me he raised to his feet, making a few corpses slide from the pile.

"Hello, punk! How you like my new playground?"


	14. Chapter 14

**I don't own the Percy Jackson series.**

**Paradise Lost**

**Part XIV Without a Soul**

**Percy POV**

I stand between the corpses of unknown men and women, looking the god of war in the eyes. He stands on a mound of corpses and has a grin like it is Christmas morning and he is ten years old.

I will never forget what he told me before I marched towards Columbus. He appeared one night while I was on guard duty.

The god of war, dressed in combat gear, with his face twitching and his flaming eyes looking wildly around. I never liked him and he never liked me. We always had a hateful relationship towards one another, but like me he was a soldier and I guess he respected me or else he wouldn't have helped.

Ares or Mars as he was undecided, on who he was at the time, came and sat on the sidewalk near me.

His hands were gripping the sidewalk hard, tiny cracks appearing in the cement. I thought he was going mad or maybe he was going to kill me and blame it on his split personality. But what he did surprised me the most.

His body stopped its spasms, and slowly he patted me on the shoulder.

"What do you want?" I said harshly, wanting to get rid of him as quick as possible.

His answer was to smirk and nod his head.

"Many would bless the fortunes if the god of war himself would visit them before a great battle. But not you. You are two seconds away from starting a fight with me."

"Can you blame me?"

"I guess not." Ares/Mars said as he laughed, which made for a weird experience as his knife scars stretched giving him a creepy look.

"You're scared." He said his tone calm and unwavering.

"Are you going to mock me for it?" I asked, not sure myself of why I didn't deny it.

"This may come as a surprise, but no. I am here to give you advice."  
"Knowing you, that advice is probably going to get me killed."

"Not this time. It's okay that you're scared." The god of war said the fire from his eyes illuminating his surroundings.

"It doesn't feel right. I am not just scared; I remember how it was before. Fear. I felt it back then when I went to battle. This is different. Something is deeply wrong. It's… it's like I'm going to die." Saying all that war hard for me, especially since I said it to Ares. I half expected him to start laughing and call me a wuss and a coward.

"You have to block it." The war deity said after an uncomfortable silence.

"Block what?" I asked.

"Mercy, compassion, hope and fear. All the things that make you human."  
"That sounds wrong. I can't do that."

"It's better this way. This isn't like normal combat. You have never experienced this. You may have fought, but never a full on war, and the reality of it is going to hit you hard."

"That is the exact opposite of what I thought. I need my soul; it can't be like you want it. I'm not you. I am fighting so I can keep living after the war is over. Without my humanity, what will I become?"

"Thinking that you have a life after the war is exactly what is going to get you killed." The god's voice became harsher as if he was disappointed in my response." Are you going to cower while everybody else is fighting? Just so you could have your life? What you actually need, even if you don't believe me right now, is to put up a barrier around your soul because if you don't all that death you are going to face, is going to crush it, and no matter how much you will wish it, you'll never bounce back to who you were. "  
"Maybe that works for you. You were made for war. I'm not you. I will be fine, I will come back. I have people counting on me for that."  
Ares shook his head and I thought I saw sadness on his face.

"You're wrong. You were born to fight. You will wish someday, that you listened to me, when the pain sinks her teeth in your heart, you'll wish that you listened."

I came back to the present when Ares kicked a corpse out of his way, as he approached me.

"How's that life after the war treating you, dumbass?"

I stood flabbergasted, looking at the giant war god.

"You knew from back then, didn't you? About all this. You tired to warn me."

"Don't think too highly of yourself, that was more that roman bastard than it was me."

"Mars." I said, remembering the roman counterpart.

Ares grabbed his head as his face switched features for half a second.  
"Don't say his name! Of course it was him. I would never help you. A lot of good did it do you anyway." He said grinning.

"Poor little hero. Mommy is dead. Know-it-all girlfriend doesn't remember him. Let's all have a good cry about it."  
As usual just being around the obnoxious prick made my skin crawl, and my blood rush, the first thought usually coming to mind was to break his face in. But something didn't make sense.

"She doesn't remember me?" I asked.

Ares put a weird face on, looking like he was trying to process information through his walnut sized brain.

"Screw it, I'm already deep in shit." He said." Athena brainwashed you girlfriend along with your friends after the little Nemesis incident."

"What? Why?" my voice got higher, and I took a step towards Ares.

"Ha-ha. Why not?" said the giggling god.

As the smell of blood registered, I realized where I was. I could figure the rest of it later. Knowing Ares, he probably was kept in the dark, and fed just the bare minimum. How he came into that information was a mystery though.

"Why did you kill them?" I gestured to the corpses around me.

"Just finishing what you started. And getting a little something on the side."  
"The demigods who were allied with the CFE." I said as I realized that the Olympians were cleaning house.

"What-what about reintegration? They could've been put in the camp. Their parents have cabins now."

"All that crap? Went out the window the second you decided to play bomber man at the rebels meeting. So really, it's you who killed them. Except for the gun nuts. Those are on me, but hey, I gotta live too."

"This wasn't me." I started to step back and I could sense the feeling of guilt leaving my body. Or maybe I had gotten so used to it that I couldn't tell anymore.

"I didn't fucking ask you to do this. I did what I did to end it without any more bloodshed."

"Oh, don't leave just yet. I have someone who I think you would like to meet." Ares scampered towards the back and pulled something from behind a pile of broken wood and glass.

Ares gripped his hand onto something, dragging it across the floor. Reaching me, he pulled his hand up and attached to it was someone's head.

A man, beaten up and bloody, his head held up by the hair looked at me through half closed eyelids. And in that moment I recognized him.

"Themis." I whispered and the man fluttered his eyebrows and mumbled.

"Help meee. Percyyy." He said barely breathing.

**Mars and Ares are fundamentally the same, but Mars seemed to understand that complete war will devastate everything. In that sense Mars is a strategist and a general while Ares is a foot soldier, good at thinking on his feet and a brute, without mercy and compassion.**

**I think it's not too out of character that Mars would feel sorry for Percy and give him advice.**

**Sorry that I'm ending this chapter with another cliffhanger, but maybe now that earlier part about Themis and Percy talking in the park will make more sense.**

**Don't forget. Review.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I own only my original creations.**

**Paradise Lost **

**Part XV Chaos Embodied**

**Percy POV**

Themis looked half dead. Golden liquid stretched across half his face. Ares really took it all out on him.

Somehow the whole situation felt wrong. And not just the bodies and the crazed war god. My instinct was trying to tell me something.

I was distracted as Themis groaned and tried to struggle out of the grip Ares had on his hair. For his troubles the war god pummeled his face some more.

"Why?" I asked Ares.

He put on a confused face "Why what?"  
"Why would I want to meet Themis?" I should have known subtlety would go over his head.

"You don't know why you are here don't you?"

"No. That is why I was asking you." I pointed at him.

Ares started to open his mouth when a scratching sound came from the doors. He looked pointedly at the area the sound originated then he dropped the lesser gods head onto the floor.

"Don't go anywhere." He ordered before he stepped outside. I looked back confused and I saw Ares walk outside and slam the doors.

Frustrated I turned to Themis, hoping he would illuminate me only to find him a few feet away from where Ares originally dropped him.

The god was currently laid on his belly, his hand thrust out in front of him. I walked to him and watched in silence, wanting to see why he made the effort to crawl away.

His hand was caressing the face of corpse. I kneeled next to Themis. The corpse was in fact a female. A young girl with brown hair sprawled around her stiff shoulders and matted with blood.

"Who is she?" I kept my voice still and cold.

Themis flinched as if he forgot he wasn't alone.

His answer came after a long silence. "Family. "He whispered as if it was a great secret. Themis touched the girl's still face once more before his hand fell to the floor. His eyes were rolling over.

"Come on." I said as I grabbed the god by the shoulders and placed his back against the wall.

"Look, I know it's hard but I need you to talk. We're short on time." I tried rattling Themis to no avail as he stared blankly at the body of the girl.

"Fuck!" I yelled as I punched the wall. I cringed when I felt pain envelop my hand.

"I failed her." I almost didn't hear as I was too busy cursing my pain away.

Staring at the dying god I motioned him to continue. His eye rose until they met mine.

"I was supposed to trap you." He closed his eyes as if it made it easier to remember. "Back at the park, I mean. I made a deal. Her life for yours."

"You betrayed me." I said stating the facts.

"No, no. I never was allied with you. Can't betray someone who is already an enemy, and I begged you for help."

I ignored that. "So this is" I spread my arms around. "Another trap?"  
"It came as a shock to everyone that Athena did not kill you after the CFE meeting. I also failed in doing so, and as a consequence they killed my daughter."

"They killed more than your daughter. Look around!" I cried and put my hands behind my head, pacing around, breath getting irregular.

"Your entire fault" Themis's eyes lost whatever light they held. "Is that you didn't fall on your sword." His body slumped and he fell to the floor on his side, blood flowing freely from his wounds.

A steady stream had formed and the substance was quickly changing colors from golden to a dark, rich red.

I did not waste time watching his body disintegrate, I broke into a run, carefully avoiding the dead bodies laid out in front of me and I tried not to think that I would keep them company sooner than later.

Lies, schemes, betrayals, traps, false promises. I was tired of them all. The dream, the one that I felt gave me purpose, was probably, no definitely, another fucking ploy. In fact it was the very thing that led me to this place. My family, indirectly responsible for my demise. It felt too familiar to dismiss it as a mistake. It had Athena's stench all over it. Clever, heartless bitch.

I quickly reached the entrance, and I felt fear knot itself in my stomach. Pushing the doors wide open, I walked out to find Ares kneeling and petting a huge boar.

When they saw me, Ares and his pet both turned their gaze my way, emanating hate.

"Who sent me the dream?" I asked. I knew who designed it and Morpheus probably did the rest, but a part of me still had hope that I would survive this, and I tried stalling.

"Doesn't matter, it doesn't change things." Ares said seriously.

"I just wanted to know who I was gonna hunt after I end you." I said arrogance pouring from my words, the fake kind of arrogance.

"You have guts kid, but if you've used your head maybe it would have been spared from the chopping block."  
"I did use it. I didn't want bloodshed. This here is exactly what I was trying to prevent."  
"There was no preventing it. If they died attacking Olympus, or if they died here at my hand." As if to make a point he tightened his fist. "Athena wanted me to tell you that you brought it on yourself." The sky gradually became grayer and faint thunder could be heard. "But I'm a warrior; I will tell you the truth before I cut you up. You deserve it." Respect from Ares. Never thought I'd live to see it. Ironically it was probably the last thing I would see. "This was coming a long time. Every path you would have taken would have left you bleeding to death on the ground. The question was how many hits you could've taken. I think you've reached your limit."

"You actually think I won't fight you? You think I will lay down and die?" I said angrily. I knew I was going to die, but as sure as all Hades I wasn't going to let this bastard leave unscathed.

I pulled Riptide from my pocket, and I uncapped it. I decided on using my right hand, even though slower, I had better accuracy and skill with it.

Ares decided on a great double handed sword, skulls with red eyes decorating the handle.

The god of war screamed a battle cry and slammed his sword into the earth creating a wave of dirt and grass hurling towards me.

I rolled to the side, getting up quickly; I ran, the loud crashes from behind me alerting I was milliseconds away from getting crushed.

My senses flaring up, I brought Riptide in an arc across my left side. Just in time, as a great snarling beast struck against my sword.

The boar's tusk was the only thing that saved me. When it attacked me, his tusks were thick enough that Riptide only cut through one, getting blocked halfway through second.

The animal pulled madly as I dug my feet into the ground, holding it and my sword in place. Deciding to change its strategy it reared and charged. The action caught me unprepared and the boar accomplished in making me trip and fall.

I pushed Riptide as best I could, scratching its edge against the beast's snout and eyes, succeeding in making it angrier.

As the tusk reached closer to my face, the boar started to make sounds resembling screams of agony. I felt a warm liquid fall on my chest, and the tip of a sword made its way through the belly of the beast.

Realizing that Ares was trying to impale me along with his pet I placed both my feet against the neck of the animal and I pushed with all my being.

I rolled from both of them the second I could. Getting my breath back I brought my own sword down on the god's of war back.

With a clang both our swords clashed, Ares's sword gleaming with blood. I stepped back as Ares started a barrage of hits and slashes.

Sweat plastered my hair against my scalp, and I could feel myself slowing down. Soon enough if I didn't do something I would lose.

Finally, reaching the end of my strength I blocked the monstrous sword, stopping its edge against the fuller of Riptide.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed and sidestepped as Ares slashed the place I previously stood in, blindly.  
I the flash of a second I struck the pommel of my weapon straight in the god of war's forehead.

Swinging blindly Ares hit me making a large gash on my chest.  
"Come on! Mars! Legion, legate, centurion, Jupiter, Mars, Mars!" I screamed, concentrating my thoughts away from my bleeding body and towards the roman god of war.

My action had the anticipated reaction, making Ares shudder violently, dropping his sword and grabbing his skull.

My eyes darted toward the forest, and I ran with all my force towards it.

A few more steps before I reached the line of trees I picked up blood curling yells coming from behind me and in an instant the forest turned from green to red, as flames exploded.

The fire started to eat the wood, the unholy heat bearing onto me. A great wall of fire encircled me and the god of war stepped from between the great flames, his eye sockets burning with mushrooms of fire resembling atomic blasts.

His whole body was aflame, and I felt myself burn as he made the last few steps necessary to reach me.

Riptide long forgotten fell onto the crumbling ashes of the grass.

In futility I raised my arms, to protect my eyes from the light, as the heat and pain disappeared.

Salvation?  
No such thing. The heat overloaded my nerves, allowing me to burn alive in peace.

"End it!" I yelled as my voice dissolved, taken away by the flames.

With a swing of his sword Ares granted me my last wish.

**Angry or sad, or disappointed with me because of the weak fight I wrote, or because the ending sucked, thanks for sticking around this long.**

**I may have made grammar errors. I don't know, I wrote this quickly. Fix the errors in your mind or something.**

**This is because of the lack of reviews. At least I finished the story. That's something.**

**I really didn't want to kill Percy, but all things must come to an end. If you believed that this story had a happy ending, then I don't know what to tell you except that you were obviously wrong.**

**Any questions you have you can message me or write in the reviews. **

**Goodbye.**


	16. Chapter 16

Hi, this is IronDRedWolf or as my friends call me…., but you don't need to know that.

I'm working on a sequel to Paradise Lost so check my channel next week, I haven't decided on the name of the story yet.

Concerning the ending to PL, I was rash and it wasn't fair that I killed Percy, the only explanation being that "shit happens". Well it does happen, but this isn't the Sopranos. No black screen here.

As an apology, to anyone reading this, beside this one, I'm going to post one more chapter about Percy's last thoughts and the things he cared about. It's going to be pretty sad.

Here is the summary for the sequel:

"Our world is gone. Natural disasters, freak storms, huge earthquakes. Humanity has scattered, reduced to living like rats. The gods said they would reshape the world. I hope this is not what they had in mind. And you know what? Percy Jackson is dead."

So look for that in the descriptions.

I hate ressurecting the main hero so this is for you . All 17 of you who reviewed, and the 9 favorites and the 14 followers


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